Motivating my students

Ensuring we build an inclusive community of learners enabling all members of the University, including those with additional needs, to realise their full potential requires commitment. A big question, though, is how to get these diverse students, who are often less confident in their academic readiness, more engaged and motivated? Here are some of my tips to help answer this question.

Starting out …

What’s one of the most motivating things you can do for your students? It’s simple. Learn their names. Why? Universities can be a little daunting, even frightening, especially for new and non-traditional students. Learning a student’s name makes them feel that they belong; that they are a member of the university community. It’s not easy, especially with a large cohort. Photo lists can be a lifesaver for tutors.

Icebreakers are another fantastic way to get to know your students. My go-to ice-breaker is the Superpower game. A superpower can be anything from participating in a sport to cooking to travelling. I always start by introducing myself and my superpower: I can wiggle my ears—an underwhelming superpower, which always gets a laugh and an occasional fellow wiggler. Ask the students to pair-share: after talking for a few minutes they then introduce their partner and their superpower to the class. This ice-breaker gives students a chance to provide some information about themselves and it offers you and their peers a chance to know them. Icebreakers help establish common ground, which paves the way for developing friendships, study groups and a sense of belonging. Many students cite team sport as a superpower presenting a great opportunity to remind them of what’s on offer at Deakin.

Keep going …

There’s a lull towards the end of the trimester where students often need a reboot. Try shaking things up a little with an energiser. If on campus, rearrange the room—better still, get your students to rearrange the room. Pre-arrange chairs and tables in straight rows beforehand. Ask your students to rearrange the room to encourage an inclusive learning environment that cultivates peer support, collaboration and teamwork.

Getting students to collaborate on group projects can be challenging for both the students and their tutors. How do you motivate students to enjoy group work? One of the top ten future skill requirements identified by the World Economic Forum (2016, p. 52) is creativity. Creativity is singled out as an essential graduate attribute necessary to embrace future disruption. Why not try a class challenge to help your newly-formed student groups to bond and to stimulate group creativity? This is also a great way for students to showcase skills other than the traditional academic where diverse abilities, strengths and perspectives are accepted.

The Marshmallow Challenge is a universally recognised team building activity and a great energiser. Divide your students into teams. Each team has 18 minutes to build a freestanding tower using spaghetti, masking tape and string. A marshmallow must sit on the top of the tower. When students complete the challenge, whether successful or not, show Tom Wujec’s seven-minute Marshmallow Challenge TED Talk. It’s a fascinating insight into group creative processes and a great way to inspire your students.

Here are some great teambuilding activities suitable for online students.

Finishing well …

And finally, don’t forget to take time for yourself to recharge your own batteries. One of the most motivating resources students consistently cite is enthusiastic, energetic tutors. Factor in some relaxing downtime. Catch up with friends and family. If you have time over the Christmas break, why not try a MOOC? FutureLearn have an Inclusive Learning and Teaching Environments MOOC beginning in November.

Stay tuned for more practical insights into inclusive teaching!

Inclusively yours,

Kathryn

Dr Kathryn Keeble

Kathryn teaches in the Associate Degree at Deakin. She has gained much experience teaching equity group students—particularly those from low socioeconomic backgrounds—who often require extra support to build academic and digital literacies.

To find out more inclusive teaching tips visit Deakin’s Inclusive Teaching Toolkit.