Motivation Essay

Popson's Dilemma

Fresh from graduate school, Assistant Professor Popson was midway through his first semester of college teaching when his depression started.  Long gone was the excitement and promise of the first day of class.  Now, only about two-thirds of his students were attending, and some of  them were barely holding on.  When Popson asked a question during class, the same few students answered every time.  The rest stared off  in bored silence.  One students always wore a knit cap with a slender cord slithering from under it to an iPod in his shirt pocket.  With ten or even  fifteen minutes remaining in a class period, students would start shuffling notebooks nosily into their backpacks or book bags.  Only one student had visited him during office hours, despite Popson's numerous invitations.  And when he announced one day that he was cancelling the next class to attend a professional conference, a group in the back of the room  pumped their fists in the air and hooted with glee.  It pained Popson to have aroused so little academic motivation in his students, and he began asking experienced professor what he should do.

     Professor Assante said, "Research says that 70 percent of students enroll in college because they see the degree as their ticket to a good job and a fat paycheck.  And they're right.  College grads earn nearly a million dollars more in their lives than high school grads.  Show them how your course will help them graduate and prosper in the work world.  After that, most of them will be model students."

     Professor Buckley said, "Everyone wants the freedom to make choices affecting their lives, so have your students design a personal learning contract.  Let each one choose assignments from a list of options you provide.  Let them add  their own choices if they want.  Even have them  pick the dates they'll turn in their assignments.  Give them coupons that allow  them to miss any three classes without penalty.  Do everything you can to give them choices and put them  in charge of their own education.  Once they see they're in control of their learning and you're here to help them, their motivation will soar."

     Professor Chang said, "Deep down, everyone wants to make a difference.  I just read a survey by the Higher Education Research Institute showing that two-thirds of entering freshman believe it's essential or very important to help others.  Find out what your students want to do to make a contribution.  Tell them how your course will help them achieve those dreams.  Even better, engage them in a service learning project,  When they see how your course can help them live a life with real purpose, they'll be much more interested in what you are teaching."

     Professor Donnelly said, "Let's be realistic.  The best motivator for students is grades.  It's the old carrot and stick.  Start every class with a quiz, and they'll get there on time.  Take points off for absences, and they'll attend  regularly.  Give extra points for getting assignment in on time.  Reward every positive action with points and take off points when they screw up.  When they start to realized they can get a good grade in your class by doing what's right, even the guy with the iPod will get involved."

     Professor Egret said, "Most people work harder and learn better when they feel they're part of a team with a common goal,  so help your students feel part of a community of learners.  Give them interesting topics to talk about in pairs and small groups.  Give them team assignments and group projects,  Teach them  how to work well in groups so everyone contributes their fair share.  When your students start feeling like they belong and start caring about one another, you'll see their academic motivation go way up."

     Professor Fanning said, "Your unmotivated students probably don't expect to pass your course, so they quit trying.  Here's my suggestion.  Assign a modest challenge at which they can all succeed if they do it.  And every student has to do it.   No exceptions.  Afterwards, give students specific feedback on what they did well and what they can do to improve.  Then give them a slightly more challenging assignments and repeat the cycle again and again.  Help them expect to be successful by being successful.  At some point they're going to say, ' Hey, I can do this!' and then you'll see a whole different attitude."

     Professor Gonzales said "Learning should be active and fun.  I'm not talking about a party; I'm talking engaging students in educational experiences that teach deep and important lessons about your subject.  Your students should be thinking, 'I can't wait to get to class to see what we are going to do and learn today!'  You can use debates, videos, field trips, group projects case studies, learning games, simulations, role plays, guest speakers, visualizations...the possibilities are endless.  When learning is engaging and enjoyable, motivation problems disappear."

     Professor Harvey said, "I have been teaching for thirty years, and if there 's one thing I've learned, it's this:  You can't motivate someone else.  Maybe you've heard  the old saying, 'When the students is ready, they teacher will arrive.'  You're just wasting your energy trying to make someone learn before they're ready.  Maybe they'll come back to your class in five or ten years and they'll be motivated.   But for now, just do the best you can for the students who are ready."

Based on your experience, rank the quality of their advice on the scale below.  Give a different score to each professor.  Be prepared to explain your choices.                            Best advice 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Worst advice

Professor Assante- 6

This professors advice wasn't bad but I feel like motivation is handled differently with each student because each student is different. Maybe you can motivate a few, but this will not make major improvements to his class

Professor Egret- 1

I agree with this professor all the way, teamwork is a good way to go. It also gives students more room to open up about their opinions because it is somewhat of a smaller setting. This is the best advice out of the bunch in my opinion.

Professor Buckley- 9

Yea helping them by giving it to them easy, this is not high school anymore students should be able to handle more responsibility. By giving the students all these options is nice but I don’t really see how it is helping them, especially for those students who would just try and take advantage of the situation, in a bad way. 

Professor Fanning- 8

That’s not entirely true, although I like the positivity this teacher brings, but not all students are motivated the same way. You have to find a way to engage the students so that you would get good input in your class meaning better grades and more attendance.

Professor Chang- 2

I think that this advice could be effective in some ways, pertaining to the fact that it involves engaging the students and getting their opinions. Students need to know what they are getting out of the class and how they think they can do better in a class.

Professor Gonzales- 3

That sounds fun and all but I think videos will be good enough maybe some role play experiences or even bringing food to class students love food! 

Professor Donnelly- 5

I agree with some of these tactics, rewarding attendance and maybe even doing some quizzes over what the students learn every now and then but taking off and give extra credit for every simple thing I do not think that that is a good idea. I think some students would think of that being way unfair and that would just blow up. 

Professor Harvey- 4

I agree with the advice somewhat but if his teaching is causing numerous of students to skip and others to ignore him in his class there’s something wrong with the teacher and obviously he needs to make some changes in order to have a successful course. 

Is there an approach no mentioned by one of the eight professors that would be even more motivating to you?

Ask the students how they learn best and maybe you can incorporate some of those ideas into your class