Padlet Week 2 Group Discussion by Cody Cowley

What Motivates Students to Learn?

codycow505 — 2025-05-14 18:31:00 UTC

I work in an elementary school, and it can be very difficult to motivate students to complete homework and other tasks. The principles behind motivation were interesting because it's applicable and encouraging. I'll try to utilize these in my classroom so as to better motivate my students.

Principle #1: Referencing new knowledge to previous knowledge

a02408459 — 2025-05-14 22:08:35 UTC

I found this principle interesting because it helps teachers learn a greater way of teaching. Understanding assimilation and accommodation can help teachers present new knowledge to students in reference to students' previous understanding of concepts-and previous units! For example, students may be familiar with music and songs. Teachers can compare this to poetry. Students can assimilate knowledge about poem stanzas to their knowledge of favorite songs' stanzas. In this way, students can compare their life-experiences to those in the classroom. As we as teachers help build more connections in students' minds, students will be able to develop multiple perspectives on ideas and organize their gained knowledge in a meaningful way.

Principal #6: Common Misconceptions about how students learn

kalliecroft — 2025-05-14 23:28:53 UTC

One of the things I found most interesting was the video about how their is not as much evidence behind the different learning styles theory as we once thought. I thought this was interesting because I feel like this is something we hear about all the time as education majors! It is still a really good idea to differentiate learning, but its also important to emphasize with students that they have the ability to learn things in many different ways, and that it is important to try new things and ways to learn. Some students may not feel like an "auditory" learner, but is still important for them to practice listening to information and understanding it. We all are so unique, and we all have the potential to learn things in different ways! Our brains are so incredible!

Principle #2: How do students learn and retain new information?

evanjvon — 2025-05-15 00:04:50 UTC

One very important and crucial aspect of learning and understanding what your'e being taught is repetition. For most people it is difficult to be told information once and be able to remember weeks or months later. In the video it is explained that repetition is important to retain information, but trying to "drill" the information so that it sticks in your mind is not as beneficial as other strategies. The video explains very well that by connecting the things your learning to your life you will be able to retain that information better. You may explain how that object or information is used in your personal life and how it affects and even make stories, songs, or mnemonics to spark your memory when you study that information. This can benefit students not only to know what they're learning, but to know how it works, who uses it, and how it applies to themselves. I hope that students will be able to learn how to study effectively with this strategy. It can provide so many skills in school and work and ultimately help them become a great learner and remember important information throughout their whole life.

Principle #5 : What motivates students to learn?

a00302370 — 2025-05-15 02:40:12 UTC

I love this principle! I work in a first grade classroom and have subbed quite a bit in the other grades 1-5. Getting to know the students, even if I am just subbing, is one of the first things I try to achieve. I have found that most kids who have a label as "bad" or "hard", are really just misunderstood and not seen as an individual, they get talked too and looked at with frustration and never treated with the respect or kindness that they need. They aren't just a student, they are a person. When they know that you believe in them and continue to work with them not matter how hard things get, when they see the care you have for them as a person, they want to show you they can do hard things. Celebrating little achievements and showing interest in their lives and well being, goes a long way for students. Understanding that not all students are the same and learn or work the same. Finding ways that help that student complete or stay on task also shows them that you understand they need something different and are willing to find a way that works for them.

Principle #4 How does learning transfer to new situations?

a02440516 — 2025-05-15 21:08:25 UTC

This principle was so interesting because when I was coaching the floriculture team in high school, I could see this happening all the time. Are practice was after school and they would be other team in there and some many distractions. Which make learning harder and less of a priority. So I would have to change up the game and make it fun. Some time this would mean we would review or make a game out the material. I could see the different it make went the practice was change up. Then when it came to the next practice you could see the different in the group. They were more willing to learn new things and the team was better for it.

Principle #3: Retrieval Practice

a02329795 — 2025-05-17 04:02:24 UTC

The learning science principle I found most interesting is retrieval practice. I was surprised to learn that actively recalling information—like through quizzes or flashcards—is more effective for long-term learning than just rereading notes. It really changed how I think about studying and how I might help students retain what they learn more deeply.