Article: Motivating a Community of Learners by Idahlynn Karre
Motivating a Community
of Learners!
By
Idahlynn Karre, Ph.D.
The evidence is in! We can make a difference in the way our students learn! We can distill solid principles from the volumes
of research, theorizing, and data on learning. We can allow a set of six basic principles about learning to be the foundation of
our teaching and learning behaviors. These principles are operative at all stages of our lives and in all learning contexts.
They are universal principles for understanding the learning process. These principles become critical assets in our colleges
in the pursuit of excellence in teaching and learning.
This is what we know about learning:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Learners are NOT receptacles of knowledge and skill.
Learning is about making meaning for each individual.
Experience decisively shapes individual understanding.
Learning occurs best in the presence of a compelling presenting problem or triggering opportunity.
An accepting environment facilitates learning.
Learning requires reflection.
We all have come to intellectually understand that learners are not receptacles. Unfortunately, we do not always behave that
way. In the classroom, we pass out information assuming that it will become knowledge and skill in the lives of our students.
We strive to “cover” the content by disseminating information assuming our students will receive the information and make it
their own. Good teaching and learning is NOT about “covering” the material; it is about “uncovering it.” As good teachers,
our task is to reveal the power, uses, mystery, wonder, and excitement for content, knowledge, and skill we want to help our
student’s learn.
Learning is a “do-it-yourself” project. Learners are not receptacles to be filled with information. Each learner must create a
meaningful construct into which new learning can be wedded. Help students find a personal connection to the learning at
hand. You know yourself that you do not retain, remember, or learn information until you make meaning of that information
in context of your own life. How many times do we meet someone and fail to remember his/her name. Not good at names,
you say? Or, did you receive the information like a receptacle? Then, did you fail to make meaning - a connection - with the
person and their name. Simple example, I suppose. Extend the example to phone numbers, to do lists, projects to achieve,
people of contact, problems to solve, things to learn. You see that whether simple or complex, learning lies in our ability to
make meaning of the learning within the context of our lives.
Past experiences will decisively shape each individual’s learning. Cognitive experience, emotional experience, prior
understandings – and misunderstandings – will all have an effect on student learning. Adult learners come to our classrooms
with vast and varied life experiences that shape their learning. Understand experience as a springboard for future learning is
critical to adult learners.
We learn best when we seek to solve a problem. Each of us can recall a learning experience that was triggered by a problem.
Without the problem, we may not have had the opportunity to learn new lessons. Of course, not all problems need to be life
altering, but the need to know – the need to solve a presenting problem - will trigger a corresponding need to learn.
Accepting environments facilitate learning! As teachers we can strive to build warm accepting classroom and college
environments where learning occurs in a positive and rewarded way. Life, however, teach us that learning is sometimes
triggered by experiences that are less than positive or rewarding. The principle of acceptance is important here, too. In the
“School of Hard Knocks” we have been led to believe that lessons learned “The Hard Way” are life’s most profound lessons.
Sometimes learning something the hard way makes the lesson indelible. However, we have not truly learned the lesson until
we have “accepted” the “hard knock” and decided to learn from the experience for future success. Our task as good teachers
is to create warm accepting classroom environments to help students learn – and allow our adult students to accept life’s
lessons and learn from them.
© Dr. Idahlynn Karre, Ph.D., Author and Facilitator, Motivating a Community of Learners, 2010. All Rights Reserved.
Article: Motivating a Community of Learners by Idahlynn Karre
Finally, learning requires reflection. We must have time to process our learning to make it our own – to connect the new
learning to the complex network of prior learning. Time for reflection is critical in our classrooms. While reflection is often
personal and introspective, it is important to remember that learning is a social process. Reflection in the form of
conversation, team talk, and/or collective sharing can be a powerful learning tool. Think of all the times you used a friend as
a “Listening Post” – a sounding board for a verbal reflection experience. Our learning is processed through reflection –
personal, interpersonal, team, and public.
Now, what do we know about motivation. The evidence is not as clear on motivation theory. Some believe they can
motivate the behaviors of others. Why all the “motivational speakers” on self-esteem, diet, relationships, etc. if we did not
believe at some level that we could motivate the attitudes and behaviors of others? Billions are spend each day on marketing
and public relations campaigns trying motivate our attitudes and behaviors. Public relations, marketing and sales people
make their living counting on their ability to motivate us!
On the other hand, many believe that it is impossible to motivate others. Some agree that all we can do is establish an
environment where others can motivate themselves. Regardless of the premise in which you believe, the following six
principles apply to motivation in the learning environment.
This is what we know about motivating learning:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Create an environment for learning.
Understand learning style.
Emphasize application and experience.
Link new learning to established concepts.
Provide rich and frequent feedback on performance.
Model the learning process.
When we create an environment for learning, we create supportive psychological environments. We support and encourage
learning behaviors. In the classroom and across our campuses we behave in ways to communicate our understanding that we
each have different learning and behavioral styles. Accepting the style differences of others – students, faculty, staff, and
administrators – allows us to move beyond the “Why don’t they do it my way?” mentality to recognizing our role in adjusting
the communication and learning message to best suit the needs of the other.
We motivate learning best when we emphasize application of concepts, knowledge, and skill as they are introduced.
Sequencing and nesting complex ideas into useable segments with lots of practice/applications will motivate continued
learning. None of us wants to be overwhelmed – too fast, too confusing, too theoretical ---- too much! As we learn a little,
we are motivated to learn more. As we apply and experience the rewards of our learning we are motivated to learn more.
Learning needs a foundation and scaffolding! We have got to have something to which to tie our learning. If we don’t see
the connection – we won’t be motivated to learn. Good teachers build a solid foundation and a framework of connectedness
to help motivate learning. Once our adult students see new learning in the context of past experiences, needs, and values –
they will be motivated to move forward with their learning.
Assessment is learning! Rich and frequent assessment of learning – will motivate continued learning. Our students expect to
be supported in their efforts to learn new knowledge and skills. They want and need encouragement for the effort they are
investing in learning. Importantly, adult students want a truthful – or honest – appraisal of their progress. SET – Support,
Encourage, Truth – keys to assessment for adult learners.
And finally, we motivate the learning of our adult students by modeling the learning process with our own behaviors. As
teachers, we continue to learn. We stay current in our content and technical fields. We study adult learning theory and strive
to discover ways to motivate learning in our classrooms. We continue to search for teaching and learning strategies to help us
facilitate adult student learning. To that end, knowledge, skill, and strategies shared in this workshop become ways for us to
understand, integrate and use:
1.
2.
What We Know About Learning and
What We Know About Motivating a Community of Learners.
© Dr. Idahlynn Karre, Ph.D., Author and Facilitator, Motivating a Community of Learners, 2010. All Rights Reserved.