Increasing Motivation Part 1

Three Motivation Problems Level of Concern Feeling Tone Success

Level of Concern If the level of concern is too high, a person begins to worry about self-preservation, rather than learning. The person is feeling stress.

Level of Concern If the level of concern is too high, a person begins to worry about self-preservation, rather than learning. The person is feeling stress. If the level of concern is too low, a person is not motivated to put in effort. The person is feeling too comfortable

Level of Concern A moderate level of concern stimulates learning. The person is motivated to work, but not so stressed that they cannot function

Feeling Tone Negative Feeling Tones can motivate a student to put forth effort, but can cause the learner to dislike the subject. The teacher is telling the student that he had better do it or there will be consequences.

Feeling Tone Neutral Feeling Tones are useful to terminate an unproductive or unpleasant situation so that later we can return with pleasant feelings. The teacher might tell students that it is okay that something is hard right now because we will come back to it when we are all feeling fresh. Neutral Feeling Tones are useful to terminate an unproductive or unpleasant situation so that later we can return with pleasant feelings. The teacher might tell students that it is okay that something is hard right now because we will come back to it when we are all feeling fresh.

Feeling Tone Pleasant Feeling Tones eliminate student avoidance. For example, the teacher might say “I know you have worked hard, but your perseverance has paid off.”

Success To feel successful, one must expend effort and have a certain degree of uncertainty about the outcome.

Success If a task is too easy, we feel little success and are not motivated to continue. We might see a capable student unwilling to work.

Success If a task is too hard, we are not motivated to continue. We might see a student not working because he knows he cannot do it.

Success If a task is too easy, we feel little success and are not motivated to continue. If a task is too hard, we are not motivated to continue The more success students have experienced in the past, the more optimistic they are about future performance.

Checking for Understanding Level of concern = 1 Level of concern = 1 Feeling tone = 2 Feeling tone = 2 Success = 3 Success = 3

Checking for Understanding A parent comes to parent teacher conferences. You tell him his child is not doing well in Algebra. The dad tells you that he has never used algebra in his life, so he doesn’t figure his son does either. His problem is likely to be... 1 – concern, 2 – feeling tone, 3 - success

Checking for Understanding A student is not doing his assignments in division. You also suspect that he doesn’t know his multiplication tables. It is likely that his motivational problem is... 1 – concern, 2 – feeling tone, 3 - success

Checking for Understanding You started a new concept today and the whole class began to panic. You say, “Don’t worry, this is a tough concept. We will quit for today and come back to it tomorrow.” Your are trying to influence motivation using – concern, 2 – feeling tone, 3 - success

Your Task Quickly form groups of about three. Think of a time when you have noticed each of these motivational factors in your classroom. Share with the group. Each group be prepared to share one example with the class.