Title: Helping Students Learn to Learn: Motivating Students to Learn by Helping them See their Learning Goals
1Helping Students Learn to LearnMotivating
Students to Learn by Helping them See their
Learning Goals
- Angela Ho, EDC
- Chan Chi Hung, Learning to Learn Project
2Why are students not motivated to learn?
- Can the interview excerpts tell us some of the
reasons?
3Students are easily de-motivated if they do not
understand the programme goals
- Common misconceptions about the Programme of
study - Lack of understanding of the discipline /
profession - A misconception about practicality a
technician mentality - Unable to perceive the relationship among
subjects - A narrow perception about their profession and
hence unable to appreciate the use of some
non-discipline specific subjects - A narrow perception about their education and
hence unable to appreciate the value of the GE
subjects.
4Many students are not aware of the learning
goals set by the PolyU
- PolyU Strategic Objective 1 (2001/2 2006/7)
- To enhance the all-round development of students,
particularly in the areas of global outlook,
critical and creative thinking, strong sense of
social and national responsibility, cultural
appreciation, ability to pursue life-long
learning, good biliteracy and trilingualism,
entrepreneurship and leadership - PolyU Mission Developing Preferred Graduates
5Students who understand Programme Goals -able to
learn appropriately from the Programme
- This student is more likely to become a Preferred
Graduate - Actually we are diversified. The theories might
not be in-depth but it shows us many different
things. If we want to work in the field of
quality control, we can if we want to make
moulds, we can we can also make plastic
products. I like to stay in the Industrial
Centre ... We might not be working with our own
hands when we go outside, but at least we know.
When you talk with other people how you do the
job, it will be helpful. I also like the
project here. I know that well work with other
departments next year. I think I can learn a lot
because when you go outside, youll have to work
with different people,
6Student-centerd activities
- two types of objectives involved the academic
objectives, which was related to the learning of
the subject matter and the developmental
objectives, which was related to the development
of useful life process skills, e.g. independent
study skills, decision making skills, during the
course of the task. - Students used to the academic one, but not the
other - (see paper on problems)
7Unable to get the most out of a learning
activity if learning goals of the activity are
unclear
- What do students need to know about a learning
activity? - Learning goals of specific learning activity, and
how these goals relate to a
preferred graduate - Design of the learning activity which facilitate
the achievement of the learning goals - Strategies for achieving the learning goals
via the learning activity
8Students have expressed the need for learning
goals
- To know the aims of learning
- To set learning goals
- Improve our thinking process
- Skills to answer questions
- Learn to apply in daily life
- To know more about real world situations
- How to learn efficiently effectively, i.e. less
time to learn more, less effort to get more
returns - Learn the different ways for learning different
subjects e.g. ICT, IT - (Perceived needs for Learning to Learn, ENGL,
2001)
9Getting the Most out of the UniversityBecoming
a
Successful Learner and a Preferred Graduate
- Help students to understand the learning goals of
- the programme of studythe different teaching /
learning activities
10Section 2Becoming a Preferred Graduate
- Understanding
- the nature of the Mechanical Engineering
discipline - the qualities of a preferred graduate in
mechanical engineering - how far you are from being a preferred graduate
11Section 3 Getting the Most out of different
learning opportunities
- For each learning opportunity, help you to
understand - The learning goals
- HOW to achieve the learning goals
- Lectures
- Tutorials
- Practical Classes
- Fieldwork
- Projects
- Presentations
- Group Work
- Assignment
12What do students say about Becoming a successful
learner and a preferred graduate?
- It helps me to set a goal and to understand the
things I should learn besides textbook knowledge. - I know what I should do and learn in these coming
3 years. And the most important is that I have to
learn in a correct way in different learning
activities. - I helps me understand deeply what I can do after
my graduation and to realise what employers want
employees to have. - University is a new life to me This workshop
can help us to cope with the new ways of learning.
13Helping students to set learning goals Simple
things teachers can do
- Four scenarios
- Orientation for new students -- introducing
programme goals - Introduction session for your subject relating
the subject to the programme goals - Launching of a teaching / learning activity
clarifying learning goals for the activity - Mentors counseling mentees supporting
development as a successful learner