Helping Students Learn to Learn: Motivating Students to Learn by Helping them See their Learning Goals

Helping Students Learn to Learn:Motivating Students to Learn by Helping them See their Learning Goals Angela Ho, EDC Chan Chi Hung, Learning to Learn Project

Why are students not motivated to learn? Can the interview excerpts tell us some of the reasons?

Students are easily de-motivated if they do not understandthe 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.

Many 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

Students 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 we’ll work with other departments next year. I think I can learn a lot because when you go outside, you’ll have to work with different people,

Student-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)

Unable 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

Students 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)

Getting the Most out of the University:Becoming a Successful Learner and a Preferred Graduate Help students to understand the learning goals of the programme of studythe different teaching /learning activities Becoming a Successful Learner & a Preferred Graduate

Section 2:Becoming a Preferred Graduate Understanding • the nature of the Mechanical Engineering discipline • the qualities of a preferred graduatein mechanical engineering • how far you arefrom being a preferred graduate

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 s practical classes fieldwork projects presentations group work assignments Section 3: Getting the Most out of different learning opportunities

What 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.

Helping 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

Helping Students Learn to Learn: Motivating Students to Learn by Helping them See their Learning Goals