Blogs Establishing Learning Goals and Exploring Motivations
onlineeducation trends, and professional development best practice. This allowed for the creation of the Learners Edge Professional Learning Model.
The model includes five elements to ensure adult learners experience quality personal and professional development and carry new knowledge into their classrooms. This will ultimately have positive impacts on their students. The components are as follows:
- Intention: Establish learning goals and explore motivations
- Awareness: Analyze prior knowledge and experiences related to the topic
- Investigation: Examine relevant, research-based resources to build personal and professional connections to the topic
- Application: Apply new learning through practical design, implementation, and collaboration
- Reflection: Consider the impact of new learning to influence and transform future professional practice
While these elements are specific to Learners Edge professional learning, the same steps can be used to improve any adult professional learning opportunities and increase positive outcomes.This blog series will discuss the five components of the model specific to professional learning for teachers.Let’s start by digging into the first component, intention.
Developing Intention for Professional Learning
“All who have accomplished great things have had a great aim, have fixed their gaze on a goal which was high, one which sometimes seemed impossible.”
—Orison Swett Marden
This inspiring quote encapsulates both learning goals and motivation which are key to developing intention for learning. We define intention as establishment of learning goals and exploration of motivation.
Based on the research conducted by the Learners Edge Curriculum and Instruction team, adult learners must identify their own intention related to learning. Within Learners Edge courses, opportunities are provided to establish individual learning goals and explore motivation to learn, which is facilitated through a variety of engaging, applicable activities. Identification of intention and motivation may be based on a challenge, scenario, or problem an individual is working to solve personally or professionally. It can also be based on professional learning initiatives of a school district or state. Additionally, it may simply be based on learning outcomes of a course or professional learning session. Finally, (we like this one best), it can be based on the curiosity of the individual learner! Regardless of the reason, Learners Edge wants to help the learner make a personal connection with the topic to improve the likelihood of success.
An initial exploration of learning goals and motivations wouldalso be important if you are developing professional learning opportunities for teachers. Can you find a way to make professional development for teachers their own? Here are three strategies you can use right now to increase learning intent for educators:
- TheKWHLAQ!Use of a document like this allows the learner an opportunity to identify, at the onset of a learning opportunity, a personal connection to the topic (even when the topic might have been chosen for them). The form gives the learner a chance to indicate what they already know about the topic, what they want to know (intention/motivation), and how they will find out! Asking a learner HOW they will learn something increases ownership and intrinsic motivation. At the end of the learning experience, the participant revisits what they have learned, how it will manifest in actions, and spurs continued learning by having the participant identify questions that remain.
- Personalized Professional Learning!Allow teachers a choice.Researchof self-directed learning indicates that individuals who take the initiative in learning perform much better. This initiative is typically stemmed by a challenge or a problem that an individual is working to solve. For this reason, learning motivation is much more intrinsic. This type of learning aligns better with psychological development and new developments/initiatives in learning which put a larger responsibility on the learner. In this model, the learner also benefits from the use of their own experiences and those of experts to construct more knowledge. Important components in self-directed learning can include self-assessment of prior knowledge and experiences, learning contracts,andself-evaluation of work, and reflection. At Learners Edge, we offer FIVE personalized continuing education courses allowing educators choice.Check them out here!
- Collaboration!Encourage your teachers to work together in professional learning communities, book study groups, or other networks to increase their motivation.Research by Johnson & Johnson (1989) tells us that cooperation, compared with competitive and individualistic learning, usually results in (a) higher achievement and greater productivity, (b) more caring, supportive, and committed relationships, and (c) greater psychological health, social competence, and self-esteem. A 2008 survey of 2000 current and former teachers who were given time to collaborate showed higher satisfaction, strong collegial relationships, and lower turnover rates.More recent research from Hattie tells us that cooperative learning has above average effect sizes.But beyond research, collaboration is just more fun! And fun usually equates to increased intrinsic motivation and learning.
Armed with these three strategies to develop teacher intention for professional learning, we are confident you can “fix your gaze on the goal” and “accomplish great things.”
Be intentional about your professional learning by enrolling in Learners Edge courses for Continuing Education Graduate Credits.
Learners Edge is passionately committed to providing you with continuing education coursework, materials, and tools that will help you succeed in your classroom and in your career.
Offering more than 100 print-based or online courses for teachers, you can earn the graduate credit you need for salary advancement and meet your professional development needs. Contact us today to get started!
