Page 179 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Training Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 179
non-for mal motivational focuses for potential ear ly school leavers
practices) transform the student’s gained self-confidence, perceived self-ef-
fort and autonomy to other more formal fields of learning.
Another point at which teachers can make use of non-formal learn-
ing experiences in order to enhance a student’s motivation is by adjusting
the environment and conditions in which students learn. Different studies
(e.g. AEGEE, 2007; Babajeva, 2011; Broda, 2007; Eshach, 2007; European
Commission, 2013) show that enabling a student’s real-world opportuni-
ties and simulations both provide useful settings for this process to occur.
In this way, students are given the opportunity to connect learning to their
personal experiences and make personal meaning out of it, which results
in higher understanding and thus perceived autonomy and learning mo-
tivation. Teachers can thereby lead the student through a semi-structured
learning process that connects both: increases the student’s motivation and
enables the student to acquire specific knowledge and learning goals. Good
examples of such learning are different museum visits, school trips, site vis-
its, community learning and simulations of the outside world in the class-
room (e.g. market, laboratory, kitchen, workshop).
Eshach (2007) even proposes a model for enhancing a student’s moti-
vation for learning by implementing learning in non-formal environments.
He describes the following steps in planning such a learning experience:
1) defining the purpose of the non-formal educational setting (the
teacher should decide whether his aim is to introduce a learning
topic, deepen it, extend it);
2) teachers should visit the location in advance (talk with people in
charge about the purpose of the visit, ask for suggestions);
3) share the purpose of the visit with students beforehand (talk
about their expectations, prior knowledge, and define the aims of
the visit);
4) give students the relevant background knowledge about the topic
they wish to address already before the visit so they can connect
the skills acquired in the field to this knowledge;
5) provide some (not too many) tasks to be conducted in the field (in
this way students notice things they might otherwise ignore, they
should also be given freedom to create their own experience); and
6) share the activity with parents and invite them to join, discuss the
newly gained knowledge through active teaching methods (group
work, project work, role playing etc.).
179
practices) transform the student’s gained self-confidence, perceived self-ef-
fort and autonomy to other more formal fields of learning.
Another point at which teachers can make use of non-formal learn-
ing experiences in order to enhance a student’s motivation is by adjusting
the environment and conditions in which students learn. Different studies
(e.g. AEGEE, 2007; Babajeva, 2011; Broda, 2007; Eshach, 2007; European
Commission, 2013) show that enabling a student’s real-world opportuni-
ties and simulations both provide useful settings for this process to occur.
In this way, students are given the opportunity to connect learning to their
personal experiences and make personal meaning out of it, which results
in higher understanding and thus perceived autonomy and learning mo-
tivation. Teachers can thereby lead the student through a semi-structured
learning process that connects both: increases the student’s motivation and
enables the student to acquire specific knowledge and learning goals. Good
examples of such learning are different museum visits, school trips, site vis-
its, community learning and simulations of the outside world in the class-
room (e.g. market, laboratory, kitchen, workshop).
Eshach (2007) even proposes a model for enhancing a student’s moti-
vation for learning by implementing learning in non-formal environments.
He describes the following steps in planning such a learning experience:
1) defining the purpose of the non-formal educational setting (the
teacher should decide whether his aim is to introduce a learning
topic, deepen it, extend it);
2) teachers should visit the location in advance (talk with people in
charge about the purpose of the visit, ask for suggestions);
3) share the purpose of the visit with students beforehand (talk
about their expectations, prior knowledge, and define the aims of
the visit);
4) give students the relevant background knowledge about the topic
they wish to address already before the visit so they can connect
the skills acquired in the field to this knowledge;
5) provide some (not too many) tasks to be conducted in the field (in
this way students notice things they might otherwise ignore, they
should also be given freedom to create their own experience); and
6) share the activity with parents and invite them to join, discuss the
newly gained knowledge through active teaching methods (group
work, project work, role playing etc.).
179
