Motivating 21st Century Students

DAN PINK: THE PUZZLE OF MOTIVATION

In Dan Pink’s Ted talk: The Puzzle of Motivation he points out a very true concept that an “if-then” motivation approach most often than not limits creativity and has negative on the outcome of a given task or project.  Hence, incentives are not necessarily an optimal motivator.  When rewards are offered or expected for a specific task, people tend to show poorer or not up to full potential performance.  This can and is true in many settings: as he mentions in a business model for encyclopedias Encarta and Wikipedia or at a more basic and everyday setting, our classrooms. 

The if-then motivation system is an easy trap to fall into, especially when treating with young children as we do in the ECC where they will easily do a task for a small yet luring reward.  Do not get me wrong, I believe that in order for rewards to fulfill an educational purpose they must go hand in hand with autonomy, mastery and purpose.  These three concepts are what Dan Pink mentions to be the real triggers of high performance.  These are ideas that are fostered in most of our classrooms everyday, where we aim to foster student led learning, inquiry, project based learning, where it is through student exploration that they will learn best, and have a more meaningful and enriching experience that is relevant to each student.  Let’s not limit our students’ potential with achievable tasks, but instead, lets give them the tools for them to surprise us with what they can accomplish.

Assignment #PA3a

What is PBL?

Tutorial - What is PBL? video

These charts depict the major differences between traditional class and project based learning (PBL).   They were created with the use of Cacoo.

 Mainly, in the traditional classroom, the traditional way to attack a project is introduced by the teacher.  The material to be taught-learnt is based in curriculum expectation and administered during the unit by the teacher.  Students are introduced to the information and topic at hand, activities, classroom research and traditional testing at the end of the unit motivated by grade obtained.

In PBL the main focus is on a project that will teach students about the unit itself.  In PBL students are guided by the teachers on the subject and expectations, mainly as facilitators.  However, students inquire and learn on their own throughengagement, exploration and application.  Themes are relevant and through the completion of the project students learn about real problem solving techniques and applications.  In the end, PBL is reflective and shows what and how students really learned about a certain topic, subject or unit.

An Introduction to Project Based Learning

Project Based Learning (PBL) is a concept that has come up quite frequently in previous SUNY masters classes. My understanding of PBL is that it is a hands-on way of learning that is directed by the students in order to ensure a broader understanding of concepts through a project. After watching the video, this idea was reinforced. PBL is an effective way to teach were students are given real tasks to solve in order to show what their understanding is.

In the Early Childhood Center we guide our students through several projects. Due to their age limitations the central idea must always be very concise in what aspect or area we want our students to focus, yet it is their own imagination, knowledge and drive which lets them create their own project whether it is individual or as a group.

ASF in general follows PBL throughout all grades. Whether it is in the fourth grade “operas”, where students direct their own opera whilst applying and reinforcing concepts learned in the classroom, or an Upper School Science Fair where student’s ideas are put into action to show, prove or demonstrate their understanding.

In my perspective PBL has many positive aspects due to its nature where students are putting all of their potential into a project. PBL may offer certain limitations such as but not necessarily limited to lack of attention of both students and/or teachers, information overload, disruption when students are working in teams as well as each student’s role in the team. However, though, I truly favor a PBL approach to that of traditional “tell me” teaching approach.

Internet Access in Different Countries Infograph

Magazine Cover

Who is the publisher?

Who is the intended audience; what do you (author) hope the audience will do?

What is appealing in the cover?

How are headlines, colors, and font styles and sizes used?

What are two adjectives that could describe how you look on the cover?

What are you trying to communicate?      

Representation, Bias, and Stereotype

Representation

For representation I chose a photograph of a political campaign.  The photo tells the audience how the Green Party is proposing free medicine for everyone.  How will they achieve this? Then the ad tells you to turn the page and a picture of the presidential candidate is shown.   Representation plays a huge roll in the sense that what we see is a picture of a sad, worried woman because she can not afford the medicine in contrast to the pharmacist that shows no remorse in denying the woman of her medicins.  This shows only one aspect of how things are. It is depicting a situation that has no context and therefore pushes the reader to believe what they want the audience to believe.

Stereotype

I chose this TV show ad to show stereotype.  The ad shows how a mexican man falls in love with a woman and married a country.  It shows stereotype intentionally.  There are maracas, a donkey piñata, and a sombrero.  This is already a preconceived idea of what a mexican would look like, or what you would expect from Mexico.  It is obviously a comic show, therefore the audience takes the stereotype and accepts that it is intended for a good laugh and not to offend the audience.

Bias

This picture shows bias in the sense that it is portraying both spas and washing dishes as a woman's job/activity.  It is a printed ad found in a woman's magazine therefore the ad is aimed at women.  It is directed towards women but secluding the male sector of the population who wash dishes and who enjoy spas.  I wonder what effect it would have on the consumer/reader if it was a man instead.  :)

Critically Analyzing Media

Media is filled up with symbols and for that matter these symbols have direct/indirect, explicit/implicit meanings.  One is often "fed"messages we are not aware of, this is why it is imperative not only for us as individuals, but as educators, to identify these messages and to critically analyze media.   Specially in this era, where there is an overload of information, one must have this skills to weed out what is important and to know what it is what the producer/creators are trying to make you think.

As a group we created a lesson plan for our kindergarten students.  We believe it is important from this early age to have children thinking about the ads and symbols that are around them so that they can later critically analyze this information to their benefit.

LESSON PLAN: CRITICAL THINKERS

Objectives:
Students will learn what ads are.
Students will recognize content of commercial ads.

Students will be encouraged to be critical thinkers when viewing ads.
Preparation:
Before going out on the next field trip, (TURIBUS),  teachers will show several pictures of ads to students.

Teachers will initiate inquiry through questions such as:
Do you see pictures? Which?
Do you see animals? Which? Do they look real? Are  they cartoons?
Do you see colors? Which?
Do you see letters? Big? Small?
How does this ad make you feel?
What do you think they are advertising?

Activity:
The day of the field trip, around the city, children will take pictures of ads they like.
Will discuss and reflect back in the classroom.

Culmination:
Class will be divided in three groups. Each group will create a collage with pictures they took during their field trip.
Each group will share with other two groups.