Instruction to Promote a Love Instruction to Promote a Love of Learningof Learning

Deborah StipekDeborah Stipek

Interest in LearningInterest in Learning

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th

Definition of SuccessDefinition of Success

•achieving personal goals•mastering new skills

•relative performance•receiving scarce rewards/ opportunities

Definition of AbilityDefinition of Ability

Incremental•specific •unstable•acquired through effort and persistence

Entity•general (like IQ)•stable•native (you have it or you don’t)•effort has limited effect

GoalsGoals

Learning Goals•master new skills•develop understanding •get smart

Performance Goals•good grades •recognition •extrinsic rewards•look smart•

Consequences of Consequences of Performance GoalsPerformance Goals

Need prodding, extrinsic incentives Need prodding, extrinsic incentives (rewards), & punishments(rewards), & punishments

Learn only what is requiredLearn only what is required Learning is superficial, focused on Learning is superficial, focused on

getting “the right answer”getting “the right answer” Avoid challenges, play games, cheatAvoid challenges, play games, cheat Under-performUnder-perform

Drabble & Kathy cartoons from Palo Drabble & Kathy cartoons from Palo Alto TalkAlto Talk

When Children Enjoy & are Focused on When Children Enjoy & are Focused on LearningLearning

(rather than on performing)(rather than on performing) Take more responsibility for learningTake more responsibility for learning Seek challengesSeek challenges Learn at a deeper, more conceptual Learn at a deeper, more conceptual

levellevel More creative/innovativeMore creative/innovative Seek learning outside of school, Seek learning outside of school,

throughout lifethroughout life

Motivating Learning Motivating Learning ContextsContexts

ChoiceChoice

Personally meaningful/authentic Personally meaningful/authentic taskstasks

Just right challengeJust right challenge

Active, open-ended, Active, open-ended, multidimensional problem solvingmultidimensional problem solving

Focus is on learning, Focus is on learning, understanding, mastering skillunderstanding, mastering skill

ChoiceChoice

Within structure and with Within structure and with accountabilityaccountability

Necessary to develop planning and Necessary to develop planning and organizational skills and personal organizational skills and personal responsibilityresponsibility

Topics, Tasks, Strategies, TimeTopics, Tasks, Strategies, Time

Personally MeaningfulPersonally Meaningful

Choice helpsChoice helps

Connect to students’ culture, lives, Connect to students’ culture, lives, interestsinterests

Have Have studentsstudents ask questions ask questions

Encourage passionsEncourage passions

Real Life Like (Authentic)Real Life Like (Authentic)

Original sourcesOriginal sources

Connecting to homeConnecting to home

Connecting to the communityConnecting to the community

Like problems encountered outside Like problems encountered outside of schoolof school

Collaboration (distributed Collaboration (distributed expertise)expertise)

Just Right ChallengeJust Right Challenge Hard enough to require effort, Hard enough to require effort,

improve understanding/skillsimprove understanding/skills more engagingmore engaging for robust self confidencefor robust self confidence

Requires individualizationRequires individualization

StrategiesStrategies differentiated tasks differentiated tasks differentiated expectationsdifferentiated expectations skill-based, flexible groupingskill-based, flexible grouping

Active, Open-ended, Active, Open-ended, MultidimensionalMultidimensional

Open-ended questions-problemsOpen-ended questions-problems how? why? explain – how? why? explain – notnot what? when? what? when?

Active: manipulating, simulating, Active: manipulating, simulating, debating, role playingdebating, role playing

Multidimensional (projects)Multidimensional (projects)

Changes teacher’s roleChanges teacher’s role GuidesGuides rather than directs rather than directs Monitors/supportsMonitors/supports rather than controls rather than controls

Focus on Focus on Learning/UnderstandingLearning/Understanding

Focus on understanding, not right answerFocus on understanding, not right answer

Reward effort/improvementReward effort/improvement

Focus evaluation on progress toward Focus evaluation on progress toward achieving standardachieving standard

Treat errors as natural part of learningTreat errors as natural part of learning

Press for continued developmentPress for continued development

Create community of interdependent Create community of interdependent learnerslearners