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Tag Archives: motivation
The Simplest Motivation Strategy that You’re (Probably) Not Using
Two simple techniques to overcome mundane daily obstacles make it much likelier that our students — and we — will get work done. Continue reading
True/False: Grades Motivate Students to Study Better?
The following story is true. (The names have been left out because I’ve forgotten them.) When I attended graduate school in education, I handed in my first essay with some trepidation, and lots of excitement. Like my classmates, I had
New Research: Personal Best Goals (Might) Boost Learning
Some research-based suggestions for teaching require a lot of complex changes. (If you want to develop an interleaved syllabus, you’re going to need some time.) Others couldn’t be simpler to adopt. Here’s a suggestion from researchers Down Under: encourage your
The Mindset Controversy: Is It Time to Give Up?
Few theories have gotten more teacherly attention than Carol Dweck’s work on Mindset. As you no doubt know, she has found that a “fixed mindset” (the belief that ability and intelligence can’t really change) demotivates people. On the other hand,
Motivation vs. IQ: Which Is More Important?
In the “motivation vs. IQ” debate, the Gottfrieds’ research suggests that intrinsic love of learning sets students on a path to lifetime fulfillment. And, parents can help them get there by encouraging curiosity. Continue reading
Autonomy and Motivation
Self-determination theory, developed by Edward Deci & Richard Ryan, argues that people are motivated by a desire for three things: autonomy, relatedness, and competence. (Here‘s a handy place to brush up on self-determination theory.) This theory suggests that teachers can
Promoting Motivation?
Over at 3 Star Learning Experiences, Kirschner and Neelan are skeptical about research into academic motivation. In essence, they argue that defining motivation can be quite a trick, and measuring it even more so. If we struggle to define and
Gender and Competition
According to new research, a key difference might be the choice of opponent. Whereas men typically prefer to compete against others, women often choose to compete against themselves. (As always: be careful about oversimplifcation of gender roles. I myself am much likelier to
Motivation Revolution?
Here’s the magic question: how can teachers help motivate students? After all, most of our students don’t lack the cognitive capacity to learn the material; instead, all too often, they lack the desire to do so. Frankly, those of us