More than ever before, especially as we approach the end of a largely remote school year, I’ve heard from students, “I just don’t have any motivation, Mr. R.” I’ve found that motivation and enthusiasm for learning are contagious. When a few students get excited about a topic or idea in an in-person classroom setting, other students follow. I’ve found the same is true online.
Indeed, a handful of engaged students have been responsible for initiating some of the best discussions and remote learning moments in my classes this year through their own excitement and engagement that has caused other students to tune in and participate. My great challenge this year, in my “at level” classes particularly, has been creating “motivation contagion” in a remote setting where the norm is cameras-off. This has been particularly true over the last month, where I’ve struggled to get even a majority of students to participate in three of my five classes, and increasingly this handful of students in each class is also struggling to get other students to engage.
An in-person classroom example of the possibilities of “motivation contagion” in the in-person setting versus remotely might be illustrative. A few years ago at the start of the academic year, students had the assignment of completing an “issue speech” about them and a political, social, or economic issue that was important to them. I typically spend time focusing on identity as a way to get to know students, but also as an opportunity for students to reflect on who they are becoming as they grow older. Personal and group identity is at the core of social science, so it also is a good segue to a wide variety of content.
Initially, many students were reticent to participate. I got lots of questions that suggested students weren’t sure what to focus on or weren’t confident that their experiences and views mattered, or that their classmates would care what they had to say. They got started, but clearly, they were not especially motivated by the assignment. At the same time, a handful of students in every class were clearly pretty excited about the assignment, quickly developing a draft, and including thoughtful personal connections that in some cases were surprisingly vulnerable about challenges they had faced. Working with them, I gave them some feedback on strengths and weaknesses, encouraged them to make some improvements, and asked if they’d be willing to share their draft in groups. Most said yes.
The following day, I split the class into small groups and had an especially motivated student in each group share their draft, with the request that groups give feedback on what they liked about the draft, and what they’d like to see more of. I also asked that students consider how what they were listening to could inspire their own work.
Students began to share, and every period the energy in the room saw a boost. Students now had a window into what was possible, and the excitement of their peers, as well as their peer’s vulnerability in being willing to share, motivated enhanced participation. Sure, there were still a handful of students not feeling especially motivated to do the assignment, but most students began to make connections to their own lives, and by the time speech presentations rolled around a couple of days later, almost without fail, students had produced amazing work.
Remotely, I tried to do something similar at the start of the year. I had a similar format, adapted for the remote setting in the form of ultimately either presenting live or pre-recorded, but most groups were simply not dynamic. Although there were still students really engaged and motivated by the assignment, breakout rooms didn’t allow for “motivation contagion.” Instead, some excited students ended up feeling like they weren’t getting feedback or support from their peers who, already disengaged and unmotivated, chose to opt out. These issues continued throughout my at-level classes throughout the year, and to a smaller extent in my advanced classes.
Although there were many bright spots throughout the year, in general, the least motivated students continued to be the least motivated, and if anything some of their lack of motivation has proved to be a little contagious, diminishing some of the positive classroom vibes
I understand why many students are unmotivated. They don’t have the sort of peer connections they want (or need, developmentally speaking), they are constantly distracted in their homes, and they’ve developed unhelpful habits and self-talk among many other things. The reality is that while remote learning has worked well for many students, it has limitations, particularly for students who already struggled to find motivation for school in person. Thankfully, remote learning seems to be approaching an endpoint, and we can look forward to “motivation contagion” in person.