2.4 Discussion Board II: Motivation (Required to earn certificate)

• 

  Posted by CUNY Mindset Initiative on March 11, 2024 at 10:58 am

  💬 Discussion:

  • To effectively promote learning mindsets to students it is helpful to adopt them & use them in your own life. When you learn how to make value connections in your own work, the easier it will be for you to assist students.
  • Think of a time when you had to do something you did not want to and were successful. How did you navigate that challenge? By what means did you transition from, “I don’t want to do this.” to “I want to do this.”? Where did you find the motivation? How did you stay engaged?

• Faiza Peetz

  Participant

  April 11, 2024 at 11:33 am

  Your personal journey from apprehension to embracing public speaking is inspiring. It highlights the power of mindset shifts from obligation to opportunity. The role of external support in building your confidence underscores the importance of a supportive learning environment. Sharing your experiences and strategies for engaging with topics of interest could provide valuable insights for others facing similar challenges.
  Denise Sands Baez (she/her)

  Member

  April 22, 2024 at 8:34 pm

  I struggle with adapting the way I work with the ever-changing technologies I’m expected to master.  I am NOT a digital native; when I was a traditional-age college students, the only technology I needed to master was a typewriter.  While I may occasionally be tempted to throw a mini-tantrum over the inescapability of it all, I recognize that the tech evolution does enable me to serve students more effectively (i.e., targeted outreach to struggling students) than I could with the endless cabinets of folders filled with paper).  I prefer to stay and struggle rather than retire.

  It helps enormously that my younger colleagues are uncomplainingly, cheerfully helpful when I periodically send out my cries for help.
  Seth Lehman

  Member

  May 1, 2024 at 12:29 pm

  Thanks for sharing the story! It is a good example of finding extrinsic motivation (connecting with and supporting your students) to persist and find value in an area that you naturally would rather avoid. Are there any intrinsic motivators in this story of mastering technology? Are there ways it has made your own work easier or more satisfying?
  Faiza Peetz

  Participant

  May 3, 2024 at 2:48 pm

  Indeed, while the external motivation to better serve my students drives a lot of my effort to keep up with technology, there are intrinsic rewards that come with this struggle as well. Mastering new digital tools brings a significant sense of personal achievement and keeps me mentally agile. Each small victory over a new software or platform boosts my confidence and reminds me that learning is a lifelong process, no matter the domain.

  Moreover, the efficiency gained through technology—being able to manage data more swiftly, communicate more effectively, and streamline many of my administrative tasks—adds a layer of satisfaction to my work. It’s gratifying to see how much more I can accomplish in a day with the right tools at my disposal.

  The camaraderie and support from my younger colleagues also enrich my work life. It’s heartening to experience such a collaborative atmosphere where everyone brings something valuable to the table. This has not only eased my tech learning curve but has also fostered a team-oriented culture that I find deeply fulfilling.
  Victoria (She/Her)

  Member

  May 15, 2024 at 11:14 am

  In struggling to better manage time and complete tasks, I often force myself to “start” with the 2 minutes, 5 minute principle. The “Make your bed” book (McRaven) is keen on doing small things first
  Markela Khosrowshahi (she/he/hers)

  Member

  May 22, 2024 at 4:15 pm

  I encountered many moments while studying for my master’s degree, I lost motivation from time to time and I did not feel like doing my work, but it was mainly because I was also taking care of my family, kids, and a part time job. I navigated the challenges doing two things, first by identifying the root cause of the lack of motivation and the desire of not doing to the work, and second by reminding myself why I was studying the Masters.  There was a moment that I thought I wanted to give up, but I turned it into I will do it, otherwise I knew I was going to regret it later and I would not forgive myself. My motivation was learning satisfaction and the fact that the MA could offer me new work opportunities, which will take me on a career path, which was my dream before I left my country and started a family in the USA. I stayed engaged by looking for creative ways to achieve my readings, with PDF, Audio Books, and any other support I could find. However, I strongly believe my engagement and motivation also was because I participated with my classmates and professors. 
  Seth Lehman

  Member

  May 29, 2024 at 9:07 am

  What a great story to share with your students! Keeping the focus on the long-term goal and the larger reasons for pursuing it can be a great motivator to keep us going in the day-to-day difficulties that arise.
  Seth Lehman

  Member

  May 29, 2024 at 9:10 am

  This principle sounds familiar, but would you be willing to share more? And do you encourage your students to implement this principle when studying or completing assignments?
  Casandra Silva Sibilin (she/her/hers)

  Member

  June 3, 2024 at 7:04 am

  @dascheri – Do you have an example of something new you tried out and were able to push yourself on past the threshold from inaction to action?

  For me, one example was learning a new language. In high school, I wanted to continue and advance with Spanish since that is my native language, but it didn’t fit into my schedule and the only other option was French. To be honest, I don’t think I really motivated myself to do it… until the classes started… then I really enjoyed it and came to love French. 🇫🇷

   
  Casandra Silva Sibilin (she/her/hers)

  Member

  June 3, 2024 at 7:06 am

  What was an example of something you didn’t want to do? Do you have any to share with us and/or with students? 
  Casandra Silva Sibilin (she/her/hers)

  Member

  June 3, 2024 at 7:11 am

  @Denise – I’d love to hear more about the targeted outreach. What tools do you use? Navigate? The learning platform itself? Others?
  Casandra Silva Sibilin (she/her/hers)

  Member

  June 3, 2024 at 7:19 am

  One of my favorites is Tiny Habits by B.J. Fogg. Let’s say your goal is to floss all teeth after brushing. Rather than relying on sheer motivation and willpower (which might not last very long), you start small and recognize the importance of getting started. The tiny habit has 3 components and you keep on doing it until you are ready to do more.

  1. Anchor – placing it after another activity you’re already doing (e.g. brushing your teeth)
  2. Behavior – small action (e.g. floss just one tooth)
  3. Celebration (the best part) – you celebrate in order to associate positive feelings with this small action (e.g. doing a celebration dance)

  Any ideas for tiny habits students could do to support their learning?
  Casandra Silva Sibilin (she/her/hers)

  Member

  June 3, 2024 at 7:30 am

  @markelakhosrowshahi—Thank you for sharing! I agree with @sethlehman. This is a wonderful personal story to share with your students. I really like that it emphasizes that a growth mindset doesn’t mean you have to do it all by yourself. It’s best when accompanied by support and resources to help you succeed. Hopefully support is around you to some degree but it is also an active process to seek for it as you did.

  

  (image from Tenor)
  Simanique Moody (she/her)

  Member

  June 13, 2024 at 7:31 pm

  When my close friend’s husband died, she was so overwhelmed with grief. The mountain of administrative tasks that was also on her plate made the thought of writing an obituary out of the question for her. Her adult children said they would work on it, but when she read what they had written, she felt it was missing something. I offered to write another version of the obituary to lighten her load and give her more material to work with as she continued working on the other arrangements. Immediately afterwards, I felt a sense of dread. The pressure of writing something so important weighed heavily on my mind. I found myself avoiding the task of starting the obituary in the days that followed, but I also knew that I could not go back on my word after having agreed to do it. Eventually, I realized that it would not be fair to wait until the last minute to complete a piece of work that would mean so much to the family and friends of the deceased. At that point, I started asking questions to get some of the basic facts of his life documented, and I also had to ask about things that would help me capture the essence of who he was, how he lived his life, and what his legacy would be. He was my friend, too, and I knew I couldn’t let him down. All of these thoughts motivated me–nay, compelled me–to start writing. I stayed engaged by continuing to update my friend on the progress I was making on the obituary. Eventually, I gave her a draft to read, and then I listened as she reminisced about aspects of her life with her husband. Her feedback on what I had written came in bits and pieces. After a while, I started to look forward to having a polished version of the obituary for her husband’s loved ones to read. I asked my friend not to publicize that I had written the obituary because I did not want her children to feel that their efforts were unappreciated. Knowing that she was satisfied with the obituary gave me the motivation I needed to complete it, and knowing that the obituary had to go to the funeral home by a certain time kept me on track and engaged until the very end.
  J. Elizabeth Clark (she/her/hers)

  Participant

  June 17, 2024 at 7:05 am

  I’m going to use the current moment! Artificial Intelligence (AI) is providing significant challenges to higher education. A year ago, I was feeling vexed about it and about the future of: higher education, the teaching of writing, writing in general. And, frankly, I suppose that’s how many of our math colleagues felt eons ago when modern pocket calculators came of age. And yet? Math & the teaching of math persists.

  AI isn’t going anywhere, so I forced myself to jump into the conversation. I challenged myself to adopt a growth mindset and to begin exploring and thinking. A year later, I have 0 answers, but I have 1 fantastic ENG 101 themed around AI under my belt. It was a fantastic semester of co-learning and co-exploration with my students. In many ways, I think I learned more than they did. I continue to have serious questions about AI and its role in our world: ethical issues, labor issues, philosophical issues, etc. But, I’m coming from a place of inquiry: instead of reacting, I’m researching. Instead of jumping to conclusions, I’m open to exploring and considering. Since the AI conversation is exploding in almost all industries right now, it’s easy to stay engaged because there are iterations of this conversation happening everywhere. And, that’s also a piece of engagement: it couldn’t be more relevant right now.