What is the relationship between an adult learner's initial motivation/reasons for enrolling in or attending a class and his/hercontinued motivation and progress?

Siobhan Ritchie, RI Practitioner Researcher

Inquiry Project 6/18/99

Background

In October of 1998, the Institute for Labor Studies and Research determined the need for and proposed the implementation of worksite education classes at a local hospital. Two small groups were established: a pre-GED class and an ESL class. The approximately 15 adult employees were offered the classes free of charge; 2 of the 4 class hours would otherwise be working hours. All the students, aged 45-50 years old, are native to Portuguese speaking countries, but have been living in RI for more than 20 years. The majority of the students had completed only primary school in their native countries, the ESL students held relatively low literacy levels, and one woman had never before experienced formal schooling.

The week in which classes were scheduled to begin, the group of women who had signed up to improve their English speaking skills mysteriously informed supervisors that they were not going to attend. Following a brief trouble-shooting meeting, we realized that classes had been scheduled for their days-off. The days were changed, and everyone agreed to meet for English class the following week.

Although the problem was easily solved, I began to question how it was possible that these would-be students so quickly and without complaint accepted the idea that English class was not going to be a reality. Though all adult learners live distinct lives and arrive with different perspectives, one characteristic common among the hospital employees was that "school" was but a brief moment of the past. Daily life, concerns of work and family had filled years without leaving room for reading or writing or practicing English. The ESL students were quite accustomed to speaking Portuguese with friends and neighbors, and depending on children and spouses when English was necessary. After so many years, they were given an opportunity to "go back to school." No matter how consistently progressive terms were presented to the adult-learners-to-be, all referred to the upcoming event as "school"; the experience of adult learning seemed inextricably linked to images of blackboards, pencils, and questions of pass vs. fail. The motivation behind this return--or for some the first step--into an environment of structured learning is inevitably more complex than a one sentence answer to the question 'Why do you want to take this class?'

Objective

Prior to those first classes, maybe the students were scared, or hopeful, or nervous. If such emotions paint details onto the picture of learner motivation for that first day, will those emotions change and will learner motivation change? Before a controlled learning process begins, learners appear extremely aware of what it is they cannot do and are consequently at the mercy of the feelings that accompany either inability or perhaps failure. The many and varied rewards of education are connected to the very moment in which a learner becomes aware of what he or she can do. As teachers, if we are able to see and better understand that moment, surely we will gain another clue to the often puzzling topic of learner motivation.

In my quest for an I can moment snap-shot, I realized a two-fold focus. The term learner motivation is sometimes defined as the reasons behind the learner's decision to pursue educational goals. Motivation can also be defined as the extent to which a learner is engaged in learning while in class. My interests involved both of these aspects of the experience. What is the learner feeling about the prospect of learning? Will his/her feelings change as the process begins and continues? How does learner motivation change over the course of time (in "school")?

In thinking about how this question might be addressed, I considered the obvious and strong connection between motivation and emotions. Modern trends dictate the practical necessity of emotional awareness. We are encouraged constantly to share our feelings and be enlightened as a consequence. Most would agree that emotions play important roles in all aspects of life. In order to breach this somewhat complex topic with low-literacy ESL students, I recalled the manner in which emergency room doctors and nurses interpret pain perhaps when written and/or spoken language fails: pictures of faces. I developed a non-threatening tool using pictures of faces and other illustrations to encourage student awareness of emotions, motivation, and the process of learning, and to introduce the concept of goals. Would this non-threatening tool help students? Would it help me as a teacher? Would it be the flash of light needed to take a clear picture of the moment when a student realizes I can?

Methods

In order to assess any changes in learner motivation, individual interviews were conducted with each student first when the course was starting and again after the course had been terminated. I was able to work with both the 4 women in the ESL class which I taught and also with 4 students from the pre-GED class, taught by a fellow instructor. The ESL class met for a period of 3 months and the pre-GED class for 4 months. Though only 3 and 4 months after their inception, both classes were terminated due to low enrollment and problematic contract negotiations. At the time of data collection (second round of interviews), adult education had been placed on hold at this workplace.

The individual interviews lasted approximately 15 minutes and were loosely focused on the subject of learner motivation. Free responses and open discussion were guided by an small number of questions. (see appendix for outline of interview questions) In the first round, questions were structured to gather information on what the learner was expecting from the class. The second round of interviews revisited the same subject in order to ascertain both how those expectations had been met and how those expectations had changed.

The remaining element of both the initial and the end-point interviews was the non-threatening motivation check. (see appendix for example worksheet) The first worksheet was filled out as part of the initial interview. Subsequent motivation checks were completed by students at regular intervals. Students had the opportunity to complete 4 motivation worksheets, indicating the differences in intervals--every 3 weeks for the ESL class and every 4 weeks for the pre-GED class. The pre-GED students worked independently to fill in the sheets. However, as the ESL instructor, I was able to incorporate the worksheets into our class activities; students worked both with me and with each other to fill in the worksheets. I was able to observe and take notes on the discussions which took place during and as a result of the motivation check activity.

Analysis

Complete sets of motivation sheets were collected for 6 out of the 8 participating students. At first glance, the motivation checks reveal a great deal of stability rather than fluctuation and change. In 4 out of the 6 emotion categories, student responses indicated no change in feeling. For example, a student who began the class feeling "always happy" continued to feel "always happy" and a student who began the class feeling "sometimes exhausted" continued to feel the same way. The following categories showed students to experience little or no change of emotion: happy, bored, overwhelmed, and exhausted.

The remaining 2 emotion categories are hopeful and frightened. In these categories, 50% (3 out of 6) students recorded changes in the status of their emotions. After recording the changes, students did not record any fluctuation. One student who began the class "never hopeful" ended the class feeling "sometimes hopeful." Another began "sometimes hopeful" and ended the class "always hopeful." These can be viewed as positive changes, as well as the change that two students experienced, from feeling "always frightened" to "sometimes frightened."

Out of all motivation checks collected, only one negative change was recorded. One student began the class feeling "sometimes hopeful" and ended the class feeling "never hopeful."

(see appendix for summary table of emotions data)

The section of the worksheet which addressed the learning process was perhaps more threatening than the emotions section, as it asked for a written response. However, with help from both teachers and fellow students, most faced the challenge. Responses reflected what was actually happening in the classroom. As classroom topics progressed and the students became more familiar with the worksheet, responses became lengthier and more interesting. At the beginning of the term, one pre-GED student wrote that she had learned "verbs." Two months later, she wrote that she had learned "how to write paragraphs in an essay."

The final section of the worksheet was designed to introduce the topic of goals. Students responded well to the mountain climbing metaphor. In discussing the climb, ESL students made comments about starting "down down down" at the bottom. When choosing the mark to illustrate starting point, more than one ESL student made jokes about starting off the paper--underground. Indeed, the challenge facing these women loomed larger than life. Over the course of time, however, all of the ESL students and the participating pre-GED students marked progress on the mountain.

Students had the opportunity to write in a goal each time the worksheet was completed. At the beginning of the course, most students stated somewhat vague and broad goals such as "better English," "talk better," "improve," or "write better." After spending time in class, however, students' goals became both more specific and more ambitious. An ESL student began the class with the goal of learning to speak, but by the end of the class she had committed herself to the goal of improving her literacy skills. A pre-GED student began the class with the goal of improving English written skills, but by the end of the class the same student cited the goal of testing for the GED.

A slightly unexpected result of the motivation worksheets was the discussion and classroom sharing that ensued as a result of the activity. Each time the class engaged in the motivation worksheet activity, I observed that the discussions during and following provided me truly great insights into my students' experiences. My students shared stories about how their learning was affecting their daily lives. They shared their stories with me and with each other. They shared stories of small accomplishments, of small victories, of moments which might otherwise go unnoticed. These moments include the following:

S was playing with her grandson-a computer game, a gift from Christmas. Her grandson, age 5, was identifying letters on the keyboard. S helped him to find the letter "p" when her other grandson, age 10, remarked "Grandma didn't know that before!"

A was attending a church service in English with her two daughters, who speak English well. Silently, she made the realization that she understood one of the words the priest was saying over and over again, "Peace."

C blushed when her boss remarked that her English was improving. Later on that day he called on her to help translate/interpret for a patient. She blushed again but successfully managed the exchange.

Though I was able to interview students individually, I did not listen to stories more personal or details more significant than the above-mentioned. Interview responses confirmed that all students wished to continue learning. Each woman, though frustrated at the termination of the class, did see English learning and literacy in her future.

The interviews were a particularly useful complement to the motivation worksheets for the pre-GED students, as I was not their classroom teacher. As I discussed the topic of motivation with individual students, I was able to paint a fuller picture of where the student was coming from and where he or she was going. All students again seemed eager for the opportunity to discuss their experiences with me. What I may have conjectured from written responses on the motivation worksheets was confirmed by my interviews with the students who wrote them. The individuals with whom I spoke, in their 4 months of study, had not faltered in their resolve to learn and embrace education. If any change had occurred in the motivation of these learners, it was that their motivation was more intense and more focused.

At the time of the second interview, students were awaiting a contract negotiation which carried with it the future of their educational opportunity. One might imagine that the students' feelings about their class were influenced by the fact that it was possibly going to be taken away from them. After conducting the interviews, I must argue that I would judge all of the students' responses and opinions as genuine. The students were genuine in their desire to learn and in their commitment to make room for education in lives already full with work and family and responsibility.

Findings and Conclusion

In answer to the question "Does learner motivation change over the course of time in school?" I might quietly put forth "a little bit, yes." There is evidence to support that 3 out of 6 students experienced some change in their feelings of fear and hope in relation to "school." Furthermore, the majority of students stated their goals differently after being in school for 3 or 4 months. More focused and defined goals are an indication of positive motivational change. Indeed, it seems that adult learners experienced motivational development.

The answer to the question above is the anticlimactic destination at the end of a very interesting and wonderful journey. In speaking of the effects of the motivation worksheet in the classroom, I make conclusions based only on my observations and experience as the teacher of the ESL class of 4 women. This class, students and teacher alike, benefited greatly from the motivation worksheet activity. The students were encouraged by the worksheet to reflect on their learning. This encouragement, combined with a comfortable and friendly atmosphere, brought to the class a forum in which special sharing took place. As stories were shared, personal pride became public. Accomplishments were recognized as small, unique, and significant.

Implications for a Teacher's Work

The non-threatening motivational worksheet is appropriate for adult learners who are new to the English language and/or new to the written word. It can be used to screen students, in order to pay special attention to those students who may feel always overwhelmed or always frightened. It can also be modified to different situations: math makes me feel..... or computers make me feel.....

One change I would make is to include on the list of emotions proud.

Any teacher is responsible for determining which "tools" he/she feels will benefit a class. The motivation worksheet is and can only be a tool. It was extremely useful to me as a means to the end of positive sharing. So often, teachers looking to learn more about their students listen to stories of personal hardships, frustrations, and complaints. Though this type of sharing certainly has its purpose and its place, we as teachers better serve our students when we take time to look for and listen to students as they realize that they are learning and that that is an accomplishment.

Outline - Interview Questions

Initial Interview

(greetings and introductions)

1. How does school make you feel?

2. Why did you decide to take this class?

3. Before coming to class, did you expect this experience to help you

at your work?

with your family?

in your neighborhood?

to feel successful?

to feel good about yourself?

to make more money?

4. Are there any reasons why you don't want to come to class?

Follow-up Interview

1. How does school make you feel?

2. How has your experience helped you

at your work?

with your family?

in your neighborhood?

to feel successful?

to feel good about yourself?

to make more money?

3. Do you see school/learning as part of your future? Why/How?

4. Are there any reasons why school/learning won't be a part of your future?

summary tables

emotions data

How does school make students feel?

the following emotions remained constant among the responses of all 6 students

	HAPPY	BORED	OVERWHELMED	EXHAUSTED
always	2
sometimes	4	5	2	6
never		1	4

How do feelings change?

students expressed change in the following emotions over the course of time "in school"

Before (beginning school) After (3-4 months in school)

	HOPEFUL	FRIGHTENED	HOPEFUL	FRIGHTENED
always		2	1
sometimes	1		1	2
never	1

Before (beginning school) After (3-4 months in school)

	HOPEFUL	HOPEFUL
always
sometimes	1
never		1

back to LR/RI home