Inquiry Question:
How can teachers motivate Technology Education students, making them interested in what they are learning?
Introduction:
Based on my observations on my practicum, I would like to explore student motivation and distractions in Technology Education classes. I have noticed that the curiosity and desire to want to learn and participate in these classes is an ongoing struggle. The majority of these students are not very motivated or interested in the class. It seems to be a continual struggle to motivate students in the senior Technology-Education classes to work. A lot of these students will do the minimum to pass the class. They need to be continually pushed and guided to complete their assignments.
During my practicum, I observed that mobile devices were by far the largest contribution to student distraction. The students were so attached to their mobile device that it caused them to take more of an interest in what was being broadcasted on their phone instead of working efficiently in the Technology Education class. At any given time, at least 1/3 of the class was looking at their cell phone. Reflecting back to when I was in high school, cell phones didn’t seem to be as much of a distraction as the technology of the phones were not as advanced as what they have become today. My cell phone ten years ago did not have access to the Internet, social media, applications and other third party extensions that caused potential distractions. They were only used for calling or texting. With technological improvements, the potential of the cellphone as both a distraction and classroom resource has greatly increased.
Inquiry Purpose:
I believe the purpose of this inquiry is important because mobile devices are advancing each and everyday, and they seem to be the main source of distraction within the classroom and the Technology Education learning environment; however, they have the potential to be used as learning tools. It seems as though the lack of student motivation is a result of continual cellphone use. I believe that both students and teachers can gain from this inquiry as students will become more motivated in their work, and teachers will have to do less “policing” in regards to less monitoring of students to not use their cellphones and do their assigned work.
Key or Critical Concepts:
- Students will be more productive providing they have guidance and a purpose:
I believe if students are given adequate guidelines and a timeline of when assignments are to be completed, they will strive to meet those deadlines and be motivated to complete their work to avoid receiving a poor grade. The way the class is currently structured leaves students in question of what is expected of them; this causes the students to be off task, which leads to excessive cellphone use and a lack of motivation to complete assignments or take interest in the class. Students need a clear purpose.
- Distracting cellphone use will decrease if students are motivated and curious about the area of study:
If students are motivated to work and are interested in what they are learning, they will not have the temptation to use their mobile device. It is up to the teacher to guide the class in such a way that continually keeps the learners curious about the class. Students need help to foster the desire to learn, rather than being forced to learn. The teacher must find what works best to encourage these attitudes in students.
Ethical Considerations:
The most challenging aspect of this whole inquiry is the consideration of the population of students who chose to take the class purely due to its easy nature. They took the Technology Education class because they heard it was easy and that the course would raise their GPA. They took the class because they heard the teacher was easy going and they are guaranteed to pass. Finding a way to engage these students will be rather challenging as they have the mindset of already not caring for the class before it even begins. These students easily distract those students who have somewhat of an interest in the class, which again decreases class productivity. I believe that the Tech-Ed teacher must establish the culture of the class making it well known that the shop is not just a place to show up to and receive an “A”. Students need to work for their success just as they do in their other academic classes.
References:
Freiberg, H. J. (n.d.). From Tourists to Citizens. Proven Programs in Education: Classroom Management & Assessment, 80-84.
Campbell, C., & Jane, B. (2010). Motivating children to learn: The role of technology education.International Journal of Technology and Design Education Int J Technol Des Educ, 22(1), 1-11.
Barak, M. (2009). Motivating self-regulated learning in technology education. International Journal of Technology and Design Education Int J Technol Des Educ, 20(4), 381-401.