Page 173 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Training Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 173
non-for mal motivational focuses for potential ear ly school leavers
perceive low self-competence and self-determination (autonomy) in school
settings. This means they do not have a feeling of control over their learn-
ing and decisions connected to it, and engage in learning for external rea-
sons (e.g. to attain positive consequences, avoid negative consequences, to
obtain rewards etc.).
A growing body of literature (e.g. Broda, 2007; Evans, Meyer, Pinney,
& Robinson, 2009; Hayes, 2012; McGregora, Mills, Riele, & Hayes, 2015) in
the last few decades addresses different ways for increasing ESLers’ motiva-
tion for learning. One of the identified areas is to include non-formal and
informal educational principles already in mainstream education. Non-
formal learning refers to any planned and goal-oriented but highly adapt-
able programme in institutions, organisations, and situations of person-
al and social education for young people or adults designed to improve a
range of skills and competencies outside the formal educational curricu-
lum (AEGEE, 2007; Babajeva, 2011; Cedefop, 2008; Eshach, 2007). While
formal learning environments are characterised by their highly structured
nature, non-formal learning environments are semi-structured (non-for-
mal does not imply unstructured). Non-formal learning is intentional from
the learner’s point of view. Informal learning is defined (AEGEE, 2007;
Cedefop, 2000; Eshach, 2007) as learning resulting from an individual’s
daily life activities related to work, family or leisure. It is even less struc-
tured than non-formal learning. It is often referred to as experiential learn-
ing and accidental learning and is mostly non-intentional. In this arti-
cle, we are interested in the connection between non-formal and informal
learning principles and a student’s motivation for learning.
The article has three main goals. The first is to further discuss studies
that examined the amotivation of ESLers and its important aspects, the sec-
ond is to identify the main principles of non-formal and informal learning,
and the third is to identify ways in which teachers can enhance a student’s
learning motivation by implementing those principles in mainstream edu-
cational and learning processes.
Methodology
In the process of reviewing the available literature in fields of learning mo-
tivation of ESLers and aspects of non-formal education that could foster
their learning motivation, we first conducted a literature search of the sci-
entific EBSCOhost online research databases (Academic Search Complete,
ERIC, PsycARTICLES, PsycBOOKS, PsycINFO, and SocINDEX with full
173
perceive low self-competence and self-determination (autonomy) in school
settings. This means they do not have a feeling of control over their learn-
ing and decisions connected to it, and engage in learning for external rea-
sons (e.g. to attain positive consequences, avoid negative consequences, to
obtain rewards etc.).
A growing body of literature (e.g. Broda, 2007; Evans, Meyer, Pinney,
& Robinson, 2009; Hayes, 2012; McGregora, Mills, Riele, & Hayes, 2015) in
the last few decades addresses different ways for increasing ESLers’ motiva-
tion for learning. One of the identified areas is to include non-formal and
informal educational principles already in mainstream education. Non-
formal learning refers to any planned and goal-oriented but highly adapt-
able programme in institutions, organisations, and situations of person-
al and social education for young people or adults designed to improve a
range of skills and competencies outside the formal educational curricu-
lum (AEGEE, 2007; Babajeva, 2011; Cedefop, 2008; Eshach, 2007). While
formal learning environments are characterised by their highly structured
nature, non-formal learning environments are semi-structured (non-for-
mal does not imply unstructured). Non-formal learning is intentional from
the learner’s point of view. Informal learning is defined (AEGEE, 2007;
Cedefop, 2000; Eshach, 2007) as learning resulting from an individual’s
daily life activities related to work, family or leisure. It is even less struc-
tured than non-formal learning. It is often referred to as experiential learn-
ing and accidental learning and is mostly non-intentional. In this arti-
cle, we are interested in the connection between non-formal and informal
learning principles and a student’s motivation for learning.
The article has three main goals. The first is to further discuss studies
that examined the amotivation of ESLers and its important aspects, the sec-
ond is to identify the main principles of non-formal and informal learning,
and the third is to identify ways in which teachers can enhance a student’s
learning motivation by implementing those principles in mainstream edu-
cational and learning processes.
Methodology
In the process of reviewing the available literature in fields of learning mo-
tivation of ESLers and aspects of non-formal education that could foster
their learning motivation, we first conducted a literature search of the sci-
entific EBSCOhost online research databases (Academic Search Complete,
ERIC, PsycARTICLES, PsycBOOKS, PsycINFO, and SocINDEX with full
173
