Putting The Pieces Together . . .

1. Putting The Pieces Together . . .

2. Sloan-C Conference 2006 DISTANCE LEARNER ENGAGEMENT: Can Quantum Theory, Psychology, and Neuroscience Play Nicely Together? Jeff King, Ed.D. Director, Center for Faculty Excellence Kaplan University jking@kaplan.edu

3. Used by permission

4. Psych & Ed Psych Attention as precursor to motivation, then learning Attention as precursor to motivation, then learning MOTIVATION Neuroscience: fMRI & PET Quantum Theory of Mind: Consciousness can “redesign” the brain Neuroplasticity

5. Used by permission

6. ANSWERS: B6: Globe has yellow equator C3: Purple-spotted bear is red and green bobble- head is gone C6-D6: Who won that trophy? D5: Someone’s learning his ABCs E1-F1: Hello, Teddy! F3: Nice, new sock, Junior! Used by Permission

7. Do all your students pay attention to their assignments as closely as you just paid attention? 3×5 card activity . . .

8. Why don’t they pay attention? • _____________________________ • _____________________________ • _____________________________ • _____________________________ • _____________________________ • _____________________________ • “They aren’t motivated!”

9. From Smilkstein, We’re Born to Learn, 2003, p. 31

10. The quantum theory of mind connection to motivation: . . . a quantum-based brain mechanism enables the mental effort that generates “willful focus of attention” which causes brain changes . . . See Schwartz & Begley, 2002, and Lipton, 2005

11. The brain changes when learning occurs . . . . . . no brain change = no learning, and no learning = no brain change. See Zull, 2002, and Smilkstein, 2003

12. You must be paying attentionto be motivated.You must be paying attention to learn. “. . . the variable determining whether or not the brain changes is not the sensory input itself, but, crucially, the attentional state . . .” Schwartz & Begley, The Mind & The Brain: Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force, 2002

13. Motivation: The art of getting yourself or others to pay attention to a task or resource.

14. Things that enable motivation: • Personal relatedness • Autonomy • Sense of accomplishment (competence) Edward Deci

15. Things that enable motivation: • Incremental self-theory of intelligence and achievement instead of a fixed self-theory ○ focused effort incrementally advances skill, knowledge, & achievement ○ praise for effort, not for “smarts” • Desire to be competent Carol Dweck & others

16. Things that enable motivation: • Attention • Relevance • Competence • Satisfaction John Keller ARCS Process

17. Things that enable motivation: • Factor student needs/interests into design • Excite student interest • Organize clearly • Show interest in & support for student learning • Provide good, timely feedback Mike Theall & others

18. ARCS Model Design Processin Distance Education: Case Study • Scheduled motivational messages sent to entire class at points deemed most appropriate & necessary (pre-planned) • Personal messages sent to individual students when the instructor senses the student needs extra support; personal messages in the form of greeting cards Visser, L (1998): The Development of Motivational Communication in Distance Education Support

19. Managing Learner Motivation at a Distance: Putting It All Together

20. Frequent Formative Feedback • Raises achievement – King’s College research shows ¾ standard dev. impvmt. • Feedback is critical as a tool used in incremental theorists’ advancement toward achievement • Feedback is necessary so that learners can feel satisfaction in advancing, both with and without correction

21. Sense of Accomplishment • Show students their advancement and accomplishment gained through effort – use frequent feedback and point out current status vs. previous status of work • Prompt student reflection on what has been personally learned and achieved

22. Relevance of Content • Allow flexibility of choice (autonomy) in how to apply learning content/skills to a personally relevant interest, experience, or desire • Relate content to current events in which students are interested • Weave the “facts” into a story (mystery? thriller?) that will engage student interest

23. Effortful Achievement • “Future-pace” achievement by stressing the inevitability of student progress when moving forward by using feedback • Remind students that personal effort pays the biggest achievement dividends (this applies regardless of the level of achievement when the student enters the class) • Praise for effort, not for intelligence

24. In groups: • 1.Pick an online class • (30 sec.) • 2. Pick one from: • a. frequent formative • feedback • b. sense of • accomplishment • c. relevance of content • d. effortful achievement • (30 sec.) • 3. Design a motivating • homework assignment • (3 min.) • 4. Share with all • (30 sec each • group?)

25. Questions and Answers?

26. Internet Resources (brief, accessible summaries): Rita Smilkstein (learning = brain change): http://www.borntolearn.net/pdf/guidelines.pdf Carol Dweck (self-theories’ impact on motivation): http://www.des.emory.edu/mfp/303/303dweck.pdf John Keller (ARCS model for e-learner motivation): http://www.e-learningguru.com/articles/art3_5.htm Edward Deci (intrinsic motivation requirements): http://www.psychologymatters.org/selfdetermin.html Henry Stapp (quantum brain function creates reality) leads to Jeffrey Schwartz collaboration on brain function in motivation: http://www.thymos.com/mind/stapp.html