What motivates students to
learn and engage in our content?
What can teachers do
to increase student
engagement and
learning?
Students responded to An online
survey which asked them to reflect
on their preferred learning styles and
what motivates them to learn new
material. Ninety students from Pennsylvania,
Oregon, and China responded, 41 of which
were from Haverford.
students responded that they felt
they would most benefit from...
So, How do we
use this
information
to
our students?
"I think the most motivation comes from the in depth situations. When you read something completely generic, and then allow the students to connect into a deeper context. Being able to connect with the world outside of the classroom."
--Caroline, Haverford High School sophomore
"Make it fun and not just about the grades."
--Sondra, Haverford High School sophomore
"Don't underestimate us. A challenge is a good thing. Stretch our limits. Then we will truly learn and grow in ourselves."
--Madison, Tualatin High School sophomore
"What motivates me? When I can share my learning with a real audience,
I can easily understand the material being taught."
--Ben, Haverford High School sophomore
How can online writing opportunities foster...
engagement in the content,
collaboration with authentic audiences,
and the critical thinking that students ask for?
"Online collaboration is a quick and simple method to motivate learning, and it allows students who are typically hesitant when chiming in on class discussions to have a voice and have their opinions heard. Social networking increases motivation and inspires learning for all levels of academia. Updating the idea of social networking through use of a wiki improves understanding of strategies and concepts in both reading and writing."
--Scott Gibbons
English Journal 99.5 (2010): 35–39
So writing online can provide students with the opportunity to
create, collaborate, and connect with larger audiences, with an
audience other than just the teacher.
Grant Wiggins, President of Authentic Education in Hopewell, New Jersey and one of the creators of the Understanding by
Design framework, writes:
so how can we use these online sites
to encourage our student writers?
How can writing online make a difference?
Let's learn how to use the web to connect, create, and collaborate with our students.
Let's use the web to
Motivate
http://tiny.cc/writingonline
"The point of writing is to have something to say and to make a difference in saying it."
Haverford students!
How can we use their feedback
to design more effective lessons?
Hands-on learning
Working in
small groups
having input on what's taught
learning new and
challenging material.