Page 258 - Štremfel, Urška, ed., 2016. Student (Under)achievement: Perspectives, Approaches, Challenges. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut. Digital Library, Documenta 11.
P. 258
Marzano (2003: 144–153) asserts, based on research of both theory and
practice, that the link between student motivation and achievement is
straightforward, and quotes a number of different studies in support of a
high level of correlation. For this reason, special attention should be devot-
ed to motivating students for school work. The option of motivating students
by means of non-formal and informal learning has already been presented.
Based on research of various theories, Marzano (2003) proposes four ‘action
steps’ for strengthening motivation for learning. Step 1 is providing students
with feedback on their knowledge gain. As step 2, Marzano suggests provid-
ing students with tasks and activities that are inherently engaging. Step 3 con-
sists of providing opportunities for students to construct and work on long-
term projects of their own design. As part of step 4, he expects teachers to
teach students about the dynamics of motivation and how those dynamics af-
fect them. All of these steps can prove useful in the validation of non-formal
and informal knowledge and in generating initial motivation for further learn-
ing within schools.
Teachers can try and make students more interested in school work by ad-
258 justing it to work in informal conditions, as this has been confirmed (cf. Brown,
1995; Broda, 2007) to increase students’ motivation for work. ‘Real-world op-
portunities and simulations both provide useful settings for this process to oc-
cur. As motivation, effort, and self-esteem affect both learning and observable
performance, Herman and others strongly recommend that teachers motivate
students by giving them real life tasks and opportunities to connect learning
to their personal experiences. They stress that learning has significant social
components; group work is valuable and should be designed to enable stu-
dents to take on a variety of roles.’ (Herman, Aschbacher and Winters, 1992, as
cited in Brown, 1995: 48).
Among the extrinsic and intrinsic factors influencing individuals’ self-con-
cept, the focus of this paper is on the extrinsic, since self-concept is suppos-
edly also affected by school grades as an extrinsic factor (cf. Schiraldi, 2007).
Grades, student achievement and self-concept have also been linked with
the attitude to non-formal and informal knowledge in schools. The underly-
ing presumption in the paper is that achievement of success in adolescents re-
sults in their self-concept becoming increasingly positive, even if the initial rec-
ognition they have received is not entirely ‘school-like’ (presented by means of
grades) (ibid.). The correlation between non-formal and informal knowledge
and self-concept can serve as a basis for paving the way for students’ academ-
ic achievement.
student (under)achievement: perspectives, approaches, challenges
practice, that the link between student motivation and achievement is
straightforward, and quotes a number of different studies in support of a
high level of correlation. For this reason, special attention should be devot-
ed to motivating students for school work. The option of motivating students
by means of non-formal and informal learning has already been presented.
Based on research of various theories, Marzano (2003) proposes four ‘action
steps’ for strengthening motivation for learning. Step 1 is providing students
with feedback on their knowledge gain. As step 2, Marzano suggests provid-
ing students with tasks and activities that are inherently engaging. Step 3 con-
sists of providing opportunities for students to construct and work on long-
term projects of their own design. As part of step 4, he expects teachers to
teach students about the dynamics of motivation and how those dynamics af-
fect them. All of these steps can prove useful in the validation of non-formal
and informal knowledge and in generating initial motivation for further learn-
ing within schools.
Teachers can try and make students more interested in school work by ad-
258 justing it to work in informal conditions, as this has been confirmed (cf. Brown,
1995; Broda, 2007) to increase students’ motivation for work. ‘Real-world op-
portunities and simulations both provide useful settings for this process to oc-
cur. As motivation, effort, and self-esteem affect both learning and observable
performance, Herman and others strongly recommend that teachers motivate
students by giving them real life tasks and opportunities to connect learning
to their personal experiences. They stress that learning has significant social
components; group work is valuable and should be designed to enable stu-
dents to take on a variety of roles.’ (Herman, Aschbacher and Winters, 1992, as
cited in Brown, 1995: 48).
Among the extrinsic and intrinsic factors influencing individuals’ self-con-
cept, the focus of this paper is on the extrinsic, since self-concept is suppos-
edly also affected by school grades as an extrinsic factor (cf. Schiraldi, 2007).
Grades, student achievement and self-concept have also been linked with
the attitude to non-formal and informal knowledge in schools. The underly-
ing presumption in the paper is that achievement of success in adolescents re-
sults in their self-concept becoming increasingly positive, even if the initial rec-
ognition they have received is not entirely ‘school-like’ (presented by means of
grades) (ibid.). The correlation between non-formal and informal knowledge
and self-concept can serve as a basis for paving the way for students’ academ-
ic achievement.
student (under)achievement: perspectives, approaches, challenges
