Educational Psychology 771

Theme 3 Notes

Slide Set 1 - Emotional Needs

Classroom Practice
Pride is related to self-concept.

●​ Encourage expressions like: “I am proud that I...”

●​ Ask learners to make a statement about a specific area of behaviour, beginning with, “I’m
proud that I...” For example, you might say, “I’d like you to mention something about your letter
writing that you’re proud of. Please begin your response with ‘I am proud that I...’”
●​ Learners may pass on participating in the activity if they wish.

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 Classroom Practice
Positive & Constructive feedback

At the end of a small-group session, ask learners to give each other feedback about themselves. Some
beginning statements for giving feedback in a positive manner include:
-​ When learners believe they can achieve their goals or overcome their problems.
-​ Make learners aware of their alternatives or options, provide encouragement and support

Sense of we were better as a group today because you...

●​ At some time during the week, suggest that the learners make “I appreciate...” statements to
each other. This activity can encourage children to experiment, to take risks, and to try new
behaviours. It is important that you as a teacher model this “I appreciate...” behaviour
throughout the year.
●​ Constructive feedback (it is about facilitating growth): “What have I done...What can I do
differently?...How can I do it differently?...Who / what can help me.?”

Classroom Practice
Previous Successes

●​ At the end of each day, have the learners briefly share with the rest of the class the successes
they have experienced during that day.
●​ Some learners might find it difficult at first, but as others begin to share, they too will realize
they have some of the same successes.
●​ It has been teachers’ experience that if a learner says she has no successes, some of her
classmates will chime in with successes they have seen her accomplish.
●​ The sensitive teacher will also look for successes to be pointed out to the learner with
extremely low self-esteem.

Slide Set 2 - Motivation and Self-Determination

Motivation

Motivation simply refers to the value and desire for learning. Motivation is an internal state that arouses,
directs, and maintains behaviour. Motivation should not be confused with good academic performance
although the two are closely related. Thus, if a learner performs well in a learning area, this does not
necessarily mean that he/she is highly motivated. Performance is viewed as a function of the interaction
of ability and motivation. This has the implication that if either is inadequate, performance will be
negatively affected. All learners, including those who are talented, need some form of motivation so that

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their latent potential can be stimulated. Motivation refers to the value and desire for learning –
eagerness to explore / to find out. Motivation is the force behind behavior and provides an explanation
for why people do things. Motivation influences what people do—meaning their choice of actions, as
well as how they act; the intensity, persistence, and quality of their actions.

Q: What is the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation?

A: Intrinsic motivation is when we do not need incentives or punishments, because the activity itself is
satisfying and rewarding – we find pleasure in the learning task. Extrinsic motivation is when we do
something in order to earn or avoid external controls or demands. We are not really interested in the
activity for its own sake; we care only about what it will gain us. We work for the grade and have little
interest in the subject itself.

Intrinsic Motivation Extrinsic Motivation

➔​ Motivation originates from internal ➔​ Motivation is driven by external rewards

desires, such as personal satisfaction, or punishments, such as money, grades,
curiosity, or inherent enjoyment of an recognition, or avoiding negative
activity. consequences.
➔​ Self-sustaining and long-lasting. ➔​ Short-term and transactional.
➔​ Tied to autonomy, mastery, or purpose. ➔​ Relies on tangible outcomes.
➔​ Often linked to creativity and deep ➔​ Can undermine intrinsic motivation if
engagement. overused.
➔​ Practical Example: A graphic designer ➔​ Practical Examples: Working overtime to
spends weekends creating digital art for receive a year-end bonus or promotion.
personal fulfilment.

Q: How can we motivate our learners?

Teachers can highlight their own interest in a topic and, through their own enthusiasm or fascination,
generate heightened interest in their learners.

●​ We are a lot of the time motivated by our curiosity as well as novelty and complexity (create
surprise and curiosity – asking learners to make predictions, guesses, etc.)
●​ Give learners a familiar starting point or a 'hook to hang new information on‘ (prior knowledge
and experience)
●​ Differentiation in terms of content and cognitive skills – well-constructed questions influence
motivation and understanding.
●​ Different factors tend to affect different learners' motivation to work, learn and their ultimate
performance.

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 ●​ Such factors may include interest in the subject matter, its usefulness, general desire to achieve,
self-confidence and self-esteem, teaching style, structure of the subject and curriculum, nature
of assignments and informal interactions with learners.
●​ Experiential learning is one of the most effective motivational techniques, especially for older
learners as it gives meaning and purpose to their work.
●​ It is therefore highly advisable that teachers guide learners to discuss the learning material,
allowing them to draw on their own experiences to learn and understand the new material.
●​ There is therefore a need for teachers to spend a great deal of their time explaining why the
topic, concept or activity is important and
●​ worthwhile. problem-based learning (PBL) case studies, discovery learning exercises, and
experiments could go a long way in engaging the learner thereby generating and sustaining
their motivation to learn.
●​ It is important to point out that in assigning projects, teachers should provide clear guidelines
and suggestions about how to proceed, the expected outcome and the assessment criteria that
will be used in evaluating the worth of the learners’ work.
●​ The result of such an approach to teaching is that learners are motivated to persist at authentic
problems, meld prior knowledge and experience with new learning, and develop rich
domain-specific knowledge and thinking strategies to apply to problems.
●​ Differentiation: A range of strategies used by teachers to ensure that what and how learners
learn, and how they show their learning, matches their readiness level, interests and ways of
making meaning.

Understanding Self-Determination Theory and an Autonomy-Supportive Teaching Style

Self-determination theory suggests that we all need to feel competent and capable in our interactions in
the world, to have some choices and a sense of control over our lives, and to be connected to others – to
belong to a social group. Self-determination theory postulates that the three basic psychological needs
of autonomy, competence and relatedness have to be satisfied for learners to achieve intrinsic motivation
and internalization of autonomous self-regulation towards academic activities. SDT supports the idea of
learners’ innate curiosity and desire to learn. SDT posits three quality types of motivation:

1.​ Amotivation (lack of motivation)

2.​ Extrinsic motivation (driven by external control or demands – in which behaviour is usually
regulated by punishments and rewards)
3.​ Intrinsic motivation (free engagement in an activity for inherent satisfaction)

Need for autonomy is central to self-determination because it is the desire to have our own wishes,
rather than external rewards or pressures, determine our actions / to be in charge of my own behaviour.
The need for autonomy refers to making decisions by one’s own will, based on one’s own needs and
values (to know what is good for me).

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The need for competence refers to the desire to feel capable of performing a determined task, and it is
related to seeking challenges that are optimal for one’s abilities. In this context, competence is not
defined as an attained skill or ability per se but rather as a perception of confidence and effectiveness.

In the classroom - providing a vicarious experience = learning by observing (the modelling of skills and
knowledge by teachers should always be present – this will increase learners’ perceptions of
self-efficacy (belief concerning successful completion of a task) – empowering, supporting, encouraging,
providing constructive, performance-oriented feedback, optimal challenges, valuing learners’ questions
and work

The need for relatedness is described as the need for belongingness or connectedness with significant
others as well as with a significant community; it means being accepted and valued by people
surrounding us.

Classroom environments that support learner self-determination and autonomy are associated with
greater learner interest and curiosity, sense of competence, creativity, conceptual learning, and
preference for challenge. Controlling environments tend to improve performance only on rote recall
tasks. When learners are pressured to perform, they often seek the quickest, easiest solution.

Importance of Self-Concept:

●​ Learners with a positive self-image have a realistic view of themselves.

●​ They know their strengths and areas of growth.
●​ They feel capable of being loved and entitled to happiness – this we can call self-respect or
personal worth.
●​ Learners gain personal respect for themselves when they become aware of their strengths and
areas for growth through constructive feedback from adults (teachers).

How can we support self-determination and autonomy in the classroom?

1) Allow and encourage learners to make choices

●​ Design different ways to meet a learning objective: Assignment, test, interviews, news
broadcast, designed apparatus or aid, etc.
●​ Giving students options can range from choosing from alternative assignment or presentation
topics or electives, deciding on places of learning interest to visit as well as deciding on due
dates for submitting projects.
●​ Learner motivation tend to increase when they feel some sense of autonomy in the learning
process, and it declines when learners have no voice in the class structure.

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 ●​ Allow students to choose partners with whom they would like to work based on certain
collective established criteria (e.g., Personality, interests, logistics, diversity, language, thinking
orientation, individual strengths, etc.)

2) Provide reasons for limits and rules

●​ Explain reasons for rules (to support learning, understanding)

3) Acknowledge that negative emotions are valid reactions

●​ Communicate that sometimes important learning involves frustration and confusion

●​ Acknowledge learners’ perspective: “Yes, this problem is difficult.” Or “I can understand why
you might feel that way.”

4) Use non-controlling, positive feedback and support

●​ See poor performance or behaviour as a problem to be solved, not a target of criticism.

●​ Avoid controlling language, “should”, “must”, “have to.”
●​ A controlling teaching style: in which behaviour is primarily regulated by punishments and
rewards
●​ Vicarious experience, constructive and performance-oriented feedback, valuing learners’
questions and work
●​ When you include help sessions, study sheets, review sessions, and workshops on study
skills in your teaching, learners are more likely to feel that even more moderately difficult
goals can be achieved.

Kindling Warmth in the Classroom

1.​ Psychological safety: Psychological safety means that your behaviour is consistent so that
students can accurately anticipate and predict what the outcome is or what to expect.
2.​ Establish clearly defined classroom procedures, policies and practices. They reduce anxiety for
both the teacher and the student. Class rules are important and should be well established from
the beginning. Work with the students in creating these rules and guides, it is good to include
them for self-respect and trust.
3.​ Research so that the physical conditions of the classroom have an impact on motivating children
to learn. Classroom should be neat, clean and orderly Should be well equipped with resources
such as visual aids. Messy classrooms have shown to make students more emotionally unsafe
and uninspired.

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Positive Self-Image

The development of the students self-concept begins early and it is based on how they respond to their
external world and how the external world responds to their effort to make their needs known.
Hence, feedback from adults influences the development of their self-concept and sense of awareness.

Positive feedback: students develop positive feelings about themselves and can relate better to others.

-​ It fosters a positive self-image

-​ They know their strengths and weaknesses
-​ Feel capable for love and happiness
-​ Have a good sense of personal worth and self-respect.
-​ Self-image can be developed from a rapport established between teacher and student.
-​ They develop self-respect the moment they become aware of their strengths and areas they can
grow through constructive feedback from their teachers.

Feeling of Belonging

-​ To feel a part of something larger.

-​ Though they need to feel unique there is also a sense of equality with others in a group.
-​ Helps them realize when to act as an unique individual and when to be a member of a group.
-​ In groups they can feel accepted and valued fostering a healthy sense of pride.
-​ It reduces the feeling of isolation, think of when you incorporate the student. You are making
them part of the classroom rather than isolating them.
-​ Within a class it encourages bonding, class cohesiveness and a sense of pride to be a part of a
group.

Purposeful Behaviour: Purposeful behaviour allows student to feel like they are bringing meaning with
their effort. Hence, when the consequence for purposeful behaviour is positive it creates internal
motivation within the student. Develop an intrinsic joy of learning and achievement of solving their own
problems within your student.

-​ It leads to a positive self-esteem.

-​ Teachers that set realistic expectations and help their students gain confidence (to strive to their
personal goals) help develop purposeful behaviour.
-​ Hence, practise clear expectations, express confidence and faith in their abilities.

Personal Competence: Helps develop a positive self-esteem. When a student believes that they can
achieve their goal or dream they develop a sense of competence. It requires the abilities to identify
options, make choices, use resources and apply problem-solving skills. When you provide them with
alternative options you are helping in developing this competence.

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The Classroom Climate: Behavioural style: behaviour that you display to your students. Having
unconditional acceptance, respect and empathy, and a passion for your subject motivates the student
and increases their performance.

Principle 8
For Proper Learning, Learners need to have a Psychological Safe Classroom.

Discuss what a psychological safe classroom means and why it is important to have such a classroom?
Think about the definition and characteristics of a psychological safe classroom, and how it influences
your learners?

Principle 9
As a Teacher, one needs to use Multiple Teaching Strategies to Increase Inclusion of Learner’s
Different Learning Styles.

Why is it important to use various teaching methods and how each benefits the learner. How would you
be aware that you are using the correct teaching strategy?

Principle 10
Adolescents are Known to be more Emotional hence it is Important for a Teacher to Understand
the Emotional Wellbeing of Their Learners.

Explain the emotional development and vulnerability of teens and define the importance of why you as a
teacher need to be aware of it. Differentiate between the emotional needs of a learner and how you can
apply strategies to your teaching to be a part of that emotional development.