Mary's Question

Mary's Question: Do we have enough opportunities for self-motivated learning?

I believe we do not have or offer enough opportunities for self-motivated learning. Practically every subject is composed of a carefully constructed curriculum that incorporates many idea, material, and concepts, that have been determined required learning. How often do students have the opportunity to explore topics of their own choosing and interest? Rarely are students consulted about what interests them, and interest is a key component to motivation.

A good example of student self-motivated expression occurred in my sister's eighth grade class. In a unit on Oral Presentations, the teacher asked the class to present a persuasive argument to the class about a topic that he/she finds interesting. My sister, Heather, chose to present an argument about why the Celtics are the best team in the NBA. Not only was she meeting the requirements of the unit and practising oral presentation skills, but she also had fun working on the project because she was able to talk about something she is really interested in. Her motivation to complete the assignment did not come from her desire to get a good grade or hand in her work on time; she was motivated to complete the project because she was excited to learn more about the Celtics, show her classmates what she learned, and convince them of her stance. Students do not get these opportunities often.

Do you think that student interest in the subject matter is connected to their motivation to learn?