making horses thirsty: understanding motivation to learn

Making Horses Thirsty: Increasing Motivation to Learn

Clayton Austin, Ph.D.clayton.austin@cengage.com(o) 904.358.6623(m) 904.465.3966

A man maie well bring a horse to the water, But he can not make him drinke without he will.

A dialogue conteinyng the nomber in effect of all the prouerbes in the Englishe tongue, John Heywood, 1546

• ANIMAL• DOG• BREED• PERSONALITY

Uh-oh Bubba, looks like this one is about a

quart low on motivation… better

just close the hood….

Maybe we should

check the IQ level?

LIBIDO

THANATOS

Quality

QuantityDo you have

a lot or a little?

Is it long-lasting, persistent,

steady, resilient, adaptive?

Think back to your initial college experience.

• What was the quality of your motivation?

Was it long-lasting, persistent, steady, resilient,

adaptive?

Before First Year of College

After First Year of College

Wasted Youth: College Freshmen Tell ALLhttp://www.momlogic.com/2008/12/wasted_youth_freshmen_tell_all_1.php

25% of freshmen have missed classes/assignments because they've partied too much

10% admit their grades are suffering because of partying

75% of freshmen feel that there ARE negative ramifications to partying

26% of freshmen feel they have to party to fit in

40% of freshmen say their parents DON'T know how much they party

56% of freshmen say they know someone who has ended up in the hospital because of partying

Who is motivated to do a crossword

puzzle?

7 letter words : Abdruck, Ausfuhr, Ausland, Etagere, gerecht, illegal, Laertes, Legende, Notfall, Pelikan, virtuos 8 letter words : Ebenholz, Grimasse, Oelfarbe 9 letter words : Allegorie, Epaulette, Erzaehler, Nitschewo 10 letter words : Extrawurst, Weingarten

4 letter words : Cela, Ecke, Mono, raet, Sete. 5 letter words : Akten, Alter, altig, Dakar, genau, Guete, Larve, Lasso, Liste, Manie, Opfer, Pfote, Tonic, Waadt 6 letter words : Ataman, Einehe, eirund, Figaro, Flocke, Glarus, Ikarus, Indigo, morsch, online, Rebell, single, Weiler

Who is motivated to

do a crossword puzzle in German?Who is motivated to do a

logic puzzle?

Motivation is not inside a person

Motivation is between a person and a task

Motivation

Student

Task

AutonomyRelationshipCompetence

Autonomy

1: the quality or state of being self-governing ; especially : the right of self-government2: self-directing freedom and especially moral independence3: a self-governing state

www.wordle.net/create

Good News!As a teacher, you have a significant

effect on the quality of motivation your students adopt!

As a teacher, you have a significant effect on the quality of motivation your students adopt!

Bad News

His weaponsThe Yardstick: a katana that

resembles a yardstick.Pencils: throwing spikes Apples: red tear-gas

grenades Chalk Dust: used to create

obscuring clouds and blind opponents.

Erasers: apparently normal chalkboard erasers that conceal high-explosives.

PROFESSOR PAIN

http://www.atomicthinktank.com/viewtopic.php?p=298132

How do I support autonomy?• Let students handle materials• Ask about students’ wants• Respond to questions• Foster task relevance• Express students’ emotional perspectives• Don’t give answers• Provide rationale for activities• Promote task value• Give positive and negative feedback• Personalize • Contextualize• Provide choice• Give less “should” statements

How do I support autonomy?

Grade

TALK

How to Grade Papers

1. Stack papers2. Knock stack over3. Grade as follows:

Face up: CFace down: FOn side: A

Choose Your Final Grade Exercise1

110 Top Teaching TipsDean Mancina, Golden West College

http://www.academic.cengage.com/tlconnect/client/discipline/archiveSeminar.do?id=18

Rubrics!Use free Rubistar website to make quick and easy rubricsBetter yet, have your students make them for their own projects/papersQuick change templates or build from scratchDownload in MS Excel, Internet Explorer or Blackboard

Recycle!Student completes

paper, project, or test

Student receives grade with detailed comments

for improvement

Student addresses comments and can earn up to half of

missed points

i.e. Initial 60% can become final 80%, initial 90% can become 95%

Which pajamas do you want to

wear?

Allow students to focus on course topics of particular interestMore authentic or “real world”Encourage higher order thinking, instead of just memorizing

Write a 500 word article for a student paper. Interview a successful college graduate. Tell their story connecting it to at least three key course concepts. Incorporate a photo, and at least one song lyric or line of poetry.

Avoid spending time on “special circumstances”Avoid late workShow appreciation for complexity of student lives and learning

Talk

Whose class will adopt better motivation?

Professor S. Marty Pantsor

Professor F. Fort

Professor S. Marty Pants

“In each of these puzzles, a list of words is given. To

solve the puzzle, think of a single word that goes with each to form a compound

word (or word pair that functions as a compound word). For example, if the

given words are volley, field, and bearing, then the answer would be ball,

because the word ball can be added to each of the

other words to form volleyball, ballfield, and ball

bearing. Do you understand?”

Professor S. Marty Pants

Ok, type an answer in the chatbox. Here comes the

first one….

The words are…

backshortwatch

What word can be added to all of these to form a

compound word?

Professor S. Marty Pants

That ‘s right… stop!

The compound words are…

backstopshortstopstopwatch

You all did great! This is an intelligent class. I know you all are very smart and very bright. You can really

solve these!

Professor F. Fort

“We are going to do more compound word

puzzles. Are you ready?

Professor F. Fort

Ok, type the answer in the chatbox. Here comes the

first one….

The words are…

stoolpowder

ball

What word can be added to all of these to form a

compound word?

Professor F. Fort

That ‘s right… foot!

The compound words are…

footstoolfoot powder

football

You all did great. You showed great effort. I

noticed you were sounding out possibilities and

sharing ideas with your neighbors. You can really

solve these!

Prof. Pants Prof. Fort

Praises effort, strategy,

persistence

Praises intelligence,

ability, “smarts” Positive

EnthusiasticCommunicative

Prof. Pants Prof. Fort

Attempt hard tasks

Give more effort during struggle

Attempt easy tasks

Quit during struggle

After success,students continue

to work

Carol Dweck (1999) “Caution- Praise Can Be Dangerous”

What’s my motivation?

…to get the grade, baby!….to get parent/teacher approval…to feel pride in GPA….to avoid feelings of failure

So, I have to graduate. My dad has a job

for me in the family business, but he

won’t hire me until I graduate, and I

need the cash for my brand new car! So

I have got to pass these tests, I mean

really I want an “A”. I mean I am an A

student, you tell me what I need to do

and I’ll do it.. But these professors just

go on and on, I mean, just tell me what

is on the test! I’m busy, you know? On

that paper, I copied some of it, but most

of it I sat down and wrote, but some

things came up at the last minute. But if

I know what is on the test, I can cram it,

get an A, and get on with life. I mean

school is ok, but who is going to need

all of this stuff anyway?

This is Charlie

…to be educated and cultured

….to provide for yourself and loved ones

…for the sheer joy, pleasure and interest of

learning

So, I have to graduate. My dad has a job for me in the family business, but he won’t hire me until I graduate, and I am ready to stop living off scholarships and loans, and start taking care of myself. So I have got to pass these tests. I mean I would really want an A, who wouldn’t? But I want to understand what I am learning, not just cram for a test and forget it in a week. My study group really helps, we talk through these ideas, quiz each other and stuff. You know, I feel like I want to learn it even more so I can help them if they get stuck on something. Some of this stuff I won’t ever need, but who knows? A lot of it is interesting anyway, even if I never use it. Besides, a lot of my friends couldn’t even get here, and I feel very lucky to get a college education. 

This is Ken

Extrin

sic

Intrin

si

c

Timmermans, Vansteenkiste, and Lens (2004)

More autonomous, academically adjusted 1st year college student

More controlled academically maladjusted 1st year college student

• Instructors who frame intrinsic goals for students

Vansteenkiste, Lens, and Deci, 2006

• Instructors who frame no goals for students

• Instructors who frame extrinsic goals for students

Write an intrinsic goal fortune cookie for your students

Chuck Norris doesn’t wear a watch, HE decides what time it is.Chuck Norris can slam a revolving door.

Chuck Norris can lead a horse to water AND make it drink.Chuck Norris counted to infinity - twice.

Chuck Norris can kill two stones with one bird. Chuck Norris can eat just one Lay's potato chip.

Take off the training wheels!

Thank you!

Clayton Austin, Ph.D.clayton.austin@cengage.com(o) 904.358.6623(m) 904.465.3966