Reflective Writing #10

PIDP 3250 – Assignment 1: Reflection 1

Objective

For my first reflective writing assignment, I’ve chosen to reflect on the Goals Model of motivational theory. Barkley’s Student Engagement Techniques (2010) describes this model as a proactive course of student behaviour in which “students are motivated, for example, by performance goals (preserving self-perception or public reputation as capable individuals), learning goals (trying to learn whatever the instructor’s task is designed to teach them), and even work-avoidant goals (refusing to accept the challenges inherent in the task and instead focusing on spending as little time and effort as possible in completing it)”. This model caught my attention because I feel most adults attending adult education are goal oriented.

Reflective

I chose this model because I find it is most applicable to my Electrical Trades students. I have found that most Trades people are goal oriented. Perhaps this is a byproduct of the job – Most Trades people derive satisfaction in seeing a project come to completion. I found this model interesting because it makes an effort to categorize student behaviour, and suggests methods of increasing student  motivation.

Interpretive

I enjoyed reading about this model because Barkley (2010) addresses how to apply goals theory to the college classroom. She suggests that teachers establish supportive relationships with their students and encourage students to adopt learning goals as opposed to work-avoidant goals. I have found that students will default to work-avoidant behaviour unless the instructor frames the material in such a way that the student feels it is relevant, and that the student is capable of learning the material.

Throughout my practice, I found classroom dynamics were better when I established supportive relationships with students. This created an environment where students were more engaged with learning electrical theory, and participated more in classroom discussion. In the Trades, the ultimate goal is passing the InterProvincial Red Seal exam. This may be sufficient to provide motivation to perform in the classroom however, if it isn’t, we must find a way to motivate students to adjust their goals to learning goals. In the article 21 Simple Ideas To Improve Student Motivation (2017), TeacherThought staff suggest using positive competition to increase motivation. Through the use of interactive classroom wide games such as Kahoot!, students can showcase their ability in a light hearted, fun, competitive environment. This will motivate the competitive students to learn material they might not otherwise focus on.

Introverts and other non-competitive students provide a larger challenge in manufacturing motivation. In the above article, TeacherThought staff suggest harnessing student’s interest in a topic to increase motivation. Over the 4 years of training, students build successively deeper understanding of how electricity works, and why we do the things we do in the field. I think the best way to encourage learning goals for this group is to tap into the students’ innate curiosity; to frame the theory in a lens that is always explaining something relating to their jobs.

Decisional

I will apply this model in my classroom by having an explicit talk about motivation early in each level. I think it is worth having the students reflect on their own motivations. I can facilitate this by suggesting the InterProvincial exam or large pay raises as motivation, and offering the class as a safe place to ask questions related to the trade. I will create a supportive environment where students need not fear embarrassment for not having the correct answer. If I can change the students’ perception of the classroom from a mandatory step in apprenticeship to an opportunity to remove the mystery surrounding codes, physics, and trade practice, motivation to learn can’t help but follow.

References

Barkley, E. F. (2010). Student Engagement Techniques. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons.

TeacherThought (2017). 21 Simple Ideas To Improve Student Motivation. Retrieved from https://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/21-simple-ideas-to-improve-student-motivatio/