Design a Safe, Motivating Learning Environment

PERFORMANCE LEARNING PLUS is a monthly e-newsletter by Performance Learning Systems (PLS), a comprehensive educational services company that has provided a full spectrum of programs, products, and consulting services to educators and business professionals since 1971.

Classrooms with safe learning environments are motivating for your students because students are encouraged to take risks as they explore learning opportunities. Read on for tips about ways to DESIGN A SAFE AND MOTIVATING AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.

TIPS: DESIGNING A SAFE AND MOTIVATING LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

1. GIVE AN ALTERNATIVE POP QUIZ.

While the thought of a pop quiz may make students break out in a sweat, this variation offers a safe alternative for your students. On a sheet of flip chart paper, write pop quiz questions with multiple choice (a, b, c, or d) answers underneath. Give the students small adhesive dots (1 dot per student per question) and instruct them to stick the dot next to the letter they think correctly answers each question. If you're concerned that students will just stick their dots where the majority of the other students have stuck theirs, make your questions opinion questions that students can then be invited to explain and discuss.

2. TEACH STUDENTS TO RATE THE RISK

Instead of asking students "Do you understand," which can lead to nodding even if they don't understand, ask them to "Rate the Risk" of an assignment. Students who feel very comfortable with the assignment hold up four fingers, those who are somewhat comfortable hold up three fingers, those who feel uncomfortable hold up two, and those who are very uncomfortable hold up one index finger. You can also have them rate the risk of being the group leader, class presenter, how they feel about new content, etc.

3. SET UP A ROUND ROBIN RAILWAY

Use the following idea when presenting new topics, ideas, or concepts. Write one topic per sheet of flip chart paper and post sheets throughout your classroom. Put students in groups of four or five, give each group a different color marker, and allow groups two minutes per sheet of paper to brainstorm all they know about the topic. After two minutes, students move on to the next sheet of paper in the circle and so the same. When they return to their original paper, they synthesize what they feel is the most appropriate information and present it to the class. Variation: Have student-groups work at their desks and write their ideas on index cards. When finished, groups read aloud their cards and post them on the wall, a bulletin board, or on chart paper.

4. FOLLOW GUIDELINES FOR BRAINSTORMING

Encourage students to share their creative thoughts and ideas by following two guidelines during brainstorming sessions: (1) Accept all responses. At first students may test your willingness to follow this guideline by giving unusual comments, but if you demonstrate that you accept all responses, comments will become more focused. 2) Request students wait until the end of the session to discuss one another's ideas. When students know that no one will laugh or make a negative comment about their ideas, they will feel safe to express themselves.

Source: The above concepts are based on the PLS graduate course Designing Motivation for All Learners®. For more information, see "Helpful Resources" below.

For additional sample related topics, see "Taking It Further" below.

References:

Alderman, M.K. (1999). Motivation for achievement: Possibilities for teaching and learning. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: W.H. Freeman.

Brewster, C., & Fager, J. (2000). Increasing student engagement and motivation: From time-on-task to homework. Portland, OR: Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory.

Brophy, J.E. (1998). Motivating students to learn. Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Bronsan, M.J. (1998). The impact of computer anxiety and self-efficacy upon performance. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 14(3), 223-234.

Good, T., & Brophy, J. (1971). Analyzing classroom interaction: A more powerful alternative. Educational Technology, 11, 36-41.

Hanson, K.K. (1998). Get students going: Motivation in the middle grades. Schools in the middle, 8(1), 28-33.

Schunk, D.H. (1985). Self-efficacy and classroom learning. Psychology in the Schools, 22, 208-223.

Stipek, D.J. (2002). Motivation to learn: From theory to practice (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Tohill, J.M., & Holyoak, K.J. (2000). The impact of anxiety on analogical reasoning. Thinking & Reasoning, 6(1), 27-40.