A brief introduction to using the Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) framework and learner motivation:
Wlodkowski and Ginsberg (2018) provide us with a framework that includes creating four conditions to enhance learner motivation. The four conditions of the Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) framework include the following:
- Establishing Inclusion (How do you create a respectful and safe learning environment that allows your learners to feel connected with you and other learners?)
- Developing Attitude (How do you help learners develop a positive attitude towards learning and course content?)
- Enhancing Meaning (How do you create engaging and challenging learning experiences that incorporate learners’ perspectives and values?)
- Engender Competence (How do you allow your learners to demonstrate their learning?)
Strategies/Tips: There is a plethora of strategies to create the four conditions noted above. Here are just a few that you might already be using or have been thinking about using:
- Establishing Inclusion-
- Allow for introductions and invite everyone to share their preferred pronouns.
- Create course ground rules together as a group and invite them to share their fears, goals, and expectations related to the course.
- Developing Attitude-
- Throughout your course, provide various options so learners can choose how to participate and what to contribute (For example, posting a video of their response. instead of a written response in an online discussion; sharing resources or experiences)
- Deliver content in ways that learners can find relevance and immediately apply to their context.
- Enhancing Meaning-
- Have learners submit reflection entries throughout the semester on their learning.
- Challenge learners in broadening their perspectives on a topic through role play or debates.
- Engender Competence-
- Allow learners to complete assignments in a variety of ways such as visuals, presentations, or written forms.
- Provide opportunities to apply their learning in real-world context or allow them to teach others what they have learned.
In addition, listed below are strategies which motivate students to learn. These can seem quite obvious, however, think about a course you are currently teaching. Do you have learners who do not seem motivated or ways in which you would like to create the conditions that enhance motivation? Try perusing these strategies to find one (or more) that will engage learner motivation.
- Become a role model to enhance learner interest. Deliver your presentations with energy and enthusiasm. As a display of your motivation, your passion motivates your learners. Make the course personal, showing why you are interested in the material.
- Use examples freely. Many learners want to be shown why a concept or technique is useful before they want to study it further. Be explicit about how your course prepares them for future opportunities.
- Use a variety of active learning techniques. These techniques directly engage learners in the material and give them opportunities to achieve a level of mastery.
- Teach by discovery. Learners find as satisfying as reasoning through a problem and discovering the underlying principle on their own.
- Cooperative learning activities are particularly effective as they also provide positive social pressure.
- Set realistic performance goals and help learners achieve them by encouraging them to set their own reasonable goals. Design assignments that are appropriately challenging in view of the experience and aptitude of the class.
- Place appropriate emphasis on testing and grading. Tests should be a means of showing what learners have mastered, not what they have not. Provide everyone the opportunity to achieve the highest standard and grades.
- Be free with praise and constructive in criticism. Offer nonjudgmental feedback on learners’ work, stress opportunities to improve, and look for ways to stimulate advancement.
- Give learners as much control over their own education as possible. Let students choose paper and project topics that interest them. Assess them in a variety of ways (tests, papers, projects, presentations, etc.) to give them more control over how they show their understanding to you.
- Allow learners to grade themselves and provide justification for that grade. You will be surprised at how honest and introspective they are in terms of grading.
Lastly, as you work through the semester, ask yourself, what motivates you as an instructor?
References:
Yarborough, C. B., & Fedesco, H. N. (2020). Motivating students. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. https://cft.vanderbilt.edu//cft/guides-sub-pages/motivating-students/.
Wlodkowski, R. J., & Ginsberg, M.B. (2018). Enhancing adult motivation to learn: A comprehensive guide for teaching all adults (4th ed). Jossey Bass.