Psychological Barriers to Student Engagement

Paul Charpentier

Today’s Agenda

Introductions Classroom Behaviors 2 Theoretical Perspectives And if time permits -

Andragogy vs. Pedagogy

Procrastination

To purposely and needlessly delay starting or finishing an activity

I have not yet begun to procrastinate!

Do you procrastinate?Why?

Why Procrastinate

Fear of failure Task aversion Lack of self-determined

motivation Lack of flow

Self-handicapping

Barriers to success created or claimed prior to performance

Why Self-handicap

Psychological Immune System and academic self-concept

Stereotype Threat

The fear of confirming a stereotype for yourself or others

Stereotype Threat

We need not believe in a stereotype to be threatened by it

Avoidance of Difficult Material

Why do some students enjoy a challenge and others do all they can to avoid it?

Discussion

Have you seen some of these behaviors in your classroom and what have you done about them?

2 Theories

Theories of Intelligence &Self Determination Theory

Theories of intelligence

Carol Dweck A student’s view of the nature of

intelligence correlates with behavior that either engages them in learning and challenges or tend to make them disengage from learning and avoid challenges

Theories of intelligence

Fixed vs. malleable intelligence

Theories of intelligence

The role of praise Link to attribution theory

Self-Determination Theory

Deci and Ryan If we feel capable of

performing an activity and we value the outcome, then we will be motivated to perform that activity

Self-Determination Theory

Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic motivation The role of rewards

Tangible Verbal

Provision of choice Approach to difficult material

Discussion Question

Do the insights from these 2 theories change how you would act when confronted with the behaviors discussed today?

Andragogy vs. Pedagogy

Malcolm Knowles