IN THIS ISSUE: MOTIVATION

CTE People—Dan Bernstein’s column premieres in this issue. Dandiscusses the connection betweenteachers’ expectations and students’motivation. Check out who’s onCTE’s advisory board, too. Page 2.

CTE News—CTE’s DepartmentTeaching Award continues. Readabout this year’s program and whatmade last year’s recipients standout. Page 3.

Good Work—Next fall, KU willoffer freshmen an opportunity toexperience learning communities.What effect might these groupshave on your classroom? And seewhat last year’s Faculty Fellowswere up to. Page 4.

Teaching Tips—Two ideas to keepyou and your students going:“Amnesty Day” for students andvocal health for you. Page 5.

Innovations—Technology canenhance students’ motivation.Susan Zvacek describes three ways.Page 6.

Perspectives— Motivation func-tions in various ways in classrooms,based on what students value. Withthis in mind, what can teachers doto motivate students? Page 7.

End Note—Here are 18 ways tomotivate your students. Page 8.

In the last issue of TeachingMatters, we focused on goodbeginnings, based on the adage“Well begun is half done.” Agood beginning can take ushalfway to our goal of a successfulsemester. Sometimes, though, ourenthusiasm or students’ interestwanes as we work to completethat second half.

Before we consider how tomotivate students, it’s importantto examine our own motivationlevel. If it diminishes, students willperceive it, and our teaching willbe less effective.

In “Teachers Get Bored, Too,”Joan Flaherty offers four sugges-tions to spark our motivation.Do at least one thing differentlyeach class.

After we’ve taught a class sev-eral times, it’s easy to pull notesfrom a file and repeat what we didbefore. Our teaching will becomestale after a while, though.

To avoid this situation, or toget out of it, do something differ-ent each class. As Flahertyobserves, changes don’t have tobe sustained or dramatic. Spruceup your overheads, add a relevantpersonal story to a lecture, do ademonstration in class, try a newinstructional technology tool, citedifferent examples, use differentreadings, experiment with casestudies. Change in itself canrenew our interest in and ourexcitement about teaching.

Read about teaching.Flaherty identifies three bene-

fits of reading about teaching:First, it alerts us to new ideas.

“The literature on teaching isfilled with strategies, approaches,tools, and philosophies that wecan use to create a livelier, moreengaged classroom environment.”

Second, it helps define us as aprofessional community. Special-ized literature creates membershipfor its readers. This membershipcan “renew our pride in the teach-ing profession and our commit-ment to excel as teachers.”

Third, it exposes us to enthusi-asm. The people who produceand write for teaching publica-tions love their vocation andbelieve it makes a difference.Write about teaching.

Writing helps us generate ideas,insights and fresh perspectives.Whether it’s in a private journalor published, the creative act ofwriting can motivate us.Don’t take it too seriously.

According to Flaherty, if wefocus on projecting an authorita-tive image, we’re not likely to trysomething new or unconvention-al. If a new approach doesn’twork, we probably haven’t ruinedanyone’s life. And if it does work,we’ve made life a bit better forourselves and our students. —JE

Resource: Flaherty, J. (December 2000).Teachers get bored, too. The TeachingProfessor 14 (10), 1.

Teaching MattersNovember 2002 Vol. 6, No. 2

Teachers need to be motivated, too

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There is no substitute for activeparticipation by learners, and themore the better. Put in an old-fashioned way, time on task iscentral to success in teaching andlearning. When students givemaximum focus and time to theirstudies, there is maximum successfor them and for their teachers.Yet there is greater competitionfor students’ time than everbefore. Students spend more timeat jobs to support their education-al expenses, and they also leadmore adult lifestyles with a widerrange of additional activities.

College professors have tradi-tionally assumed that motivationto spend more time studying is acharacteristic of good students.The post-secondary world has tol-erated significant rates of non-completion or failure on thegrounds that unmotivated stu-dents should not receive a collegedegree. Many faculty membersargue that a earning a bachelor’sdegree should indicate the pres-ence of sufficient internal motiva-tion to complete the rigors of afour-year curriculum.

It will not be easy to resolvethe tension between changing stu-

dent behavior and conventionalfaculty attitudes about responsibil-ity. Instead, I think it is more use-ful to focus on a few thingsknown about motivation thatmight inform the practices ofteachers who want their studentsto achieve meaningful levels ofcomprehension, understandingand skill. In contemporary collegeteaching, successful teachers takean active role in motivating theirstudents to spend time on learn-ing instead of on other activities.

Motivation increases with theperception of likely success; peo-ple who expect success are morelikely to invest time in any taskthan are people who believe thereis a high chance for failure. Whenteachers provide students withsupport for learning and opportu-nities to revise work, studentsallocate more time to their stud-ies. When students succeed earlyin a semester, they continue togive time to that instructor’sassignments, even when therequirements are challenging.Teachers who proudly inform stu-dents that few of them will suc-ceed at a high level should expectthat a majority of students will

offer only minimal effort neededto obtain the poor outcome theyhave been told to expect.

Two concerns about motivat-ing success should be mentioned.First, student success can be promoted without lowering standards. There are teachingtechniques with a lengthy docu-mented history of improvinglearning (such as mastery teachingor supplemental instruction), andsome uses of technology showreal promise for enhancing learn-ing on a large scale. Second,external motivation can be addedto students’ experience withoutdiminishing their inherent interestin learning. Incentives for extraeffort do not weaken internalmotivation when they are includ-ed in a program that generatesimprovement and gives clear feed-back on quality of performance.

College teachers are in thebusiness of motivating studentlearning, whether we want to beor not. If student success inunderstanding your field is one ofyour goals, then please considerusing CTE resources to identifyways to engage more studenteffort in learning.

CTE PEOPLE

2 s TEACHING MATTERS NOVEMBER 2002

Great expectations: One path to motivationDan Bernstein, CTE

In many of CTE’s notices, readerssee that our advisory board, theTeaching Excellence AdvisoryMembers (TEAM), makes manydecisions that guide the Center.

These faculty members are yourTEAM representatives: Jeff Aubé,medicinal chemistry; Sharon Bass,

journalism; Dan Bernstein, Centerfor Teaching Excellence; BillCarswell, architecture; Ann Cudd,philosophy; Sandra Gautt,Provost’s Office; Chris Haufler,ecology and evolutionary biology;Dennis Prater, law; Suzanne Rice,education; Tony Rosenthal,

history; Dan Spencer, business;and Paul Willhite, chemical andpetroleum engineering.

Contact any of these colleaguesif you have questions aboutTEAM or suggestions about CTEprograms and activities.

TEAM advises the Center for Teaching Excellence

CTE has announced the continu-ation of the Department TeachingAward program to recognize andhonor academic departments onthe Lawrence campus that aredoing exemplary work to improveteaching and learning. In Spring2003, a large department will bechosen for the $12,000 award.

In the announcement DanBernstein, CTE director,described why the Center hasdeveloped this award: The Centerwould like to encourage depart-ments to engage in broadly basedand sustained programs and activ-ities that move toward ongoingdevelopment of student under-standing. The award process isintended to gather examples ofinnovative, collaborative andeffective intra-departmental initia-tives, honor those that are welldeveloped, and share those exam-ples with other departments tofurther their development ofteaching programs. The overallpurpose of the award program isto support the development ofdepartment cultures that activelysupport effective teaching.

CTE’s advisory board willfocus on three criteria when itselects this year’s recipient:1. Evidence of department-wide

faculty cooperation to createand nurture specific programsor initiatives that connect facul-ty members in support ofteaching and student learning;

2. Evidence of broadly basedreflection on and considerationof department’s teaching goalsand objectives, including exam-ples of goals for student under-standing that reflect meaning-ful connections among courses;

3. Evidence of recent (within fiveyears) innovations and sus-tained, department-wide effortsto implement the department’seducational vision, includingdescriptions of how the visionand teaching practices havebeen refined through examina-tion of their results.For 2003, large departments

are invited to apply for the $12,000award. These state funds may beused as the department chooses.(In 2004, a small department willbe chosen for the award.)

The first step in the awardprocess is for departments to submit a two to three-pageNominating Statement, due atCTE by November 15. To seecomplete information about theaward, including definitions oflarge and small departments andexamples of activities, check theCTE web site, www.ku.edu/~cte.

Exemplary work from clas-sics, journalismIn their application for the 2002Department Teaching Award,classics demonstrated that theyvalue and expect high-end per-formance by students in theirclasses. Their faculty membersengage students in complex cog-nitive tasks, even in large classes.They have made innovative usesof technology in their teaching.The quality of work their studentscompleted has been recognizedoutside of class and, in somecases, outside the University.Overall, they showed that as adepartment they work together tokeep student learning at the cen-ter of their activities.

From fall 1997 to fall 2000,journalism faculty worked togeth-er to change their curriculumfrom a traditional one to one thatprepares students for a world ofconverged media of print, broad-cast and the Web. As a School,they recognize the importance ofteaching; it is a key part of theirdepartment’s mission and a criti-cal factor in hiring decisions. Intheir application they demonstrat-ed that they, like classics, valueand expect high-end student per-formance in classes of all sizes.

Many more departments aredoing exemplary work, and CTElooks forward to recognizingthem through programs such asthe Department Teaching Award.

CTE NEWS

NOVEMBER 2002 TEACHING MATTERS s 3

Department Teaching Award call for nominations announced

NEWS & NOTES

In late August, CTE welcomed anew staff member. Pilar Peñajoined Ann Volin as our secondgraduate assistant. Pilar and Annwork with Dan Bernstein, andthey are redesigning the newGTA conferences that CTE holds.

Professor Pam Gordon, Classics,and Dean James Gentry, Journalism,represented their units for the 2002Department Teaching Awards.

Next fall, KU will invite newfreshmen to join one of 10 learn-ing communities for the 2003–04academic year. Approximately 200students are expected to partici-pate in the program.

Learning communities aredefined as a cohort of studentsorganized around a theme,research problem or academicinterest. Learning communitiesare designed to:• enhance educational opportuni-

ties for students across the curriculum;

• facilitate student connections tofaculty, staff and fellow students;

• increase student retention; and • enhance academic success.

This last benefit of learningcommunities may have the great-

est impact on faculty. We oftenfocus on our teaching and whatwe should and shouldn’t do whenwe consider student learning, butstudents’ experiences outside theclassroom are powerful influences,too. As Menges and Weimer(1996) report, “Considerableresearch done in the past 20 yearsindicates that the quality, quantity,and type of students’ out-of-classexperiences can directly and indi-rectly influence cognitive develop-ment (such as critical-thinkingskills and the ability to synthesizeand analyze); psychosocial devel-opment; attitudes and values;moral development; and perhapsmost importantly, in-class learn-ing, academic achievement, andretention” (p. 44).

Research at other universitieswith established learning commu-nities shows students are morelikely to succeed academically ifthey share an interest, major orgoal; are co-enrolled in two orthree of the same courses; andshare a residential environment, apeer advisor and a faculty mentor.

Faculty who are interested inparticipating as mentors or whohave ideas for interdisciplinarythemes for these new learningcommunities may contact DianeDel Buono, OIRP, at 785-864-4412 or ddb@ku.edu, or DanBernstein, CTE, at 785-864-4193or djb@ku.edu.

Source: Menges, R. J. & Weimer, M.(1996). Teaching on solid ground. SanFrancisco: Jossey-Bass.

During 2001–02, four professorscompleted Faculty Fellowshipswith CTE. Mehrene Larudee,economics; Satya Mandal, mathe-matics; and Gina Westergard,design, participated in the pro-gram. Under a special arrange-ment, Cynthia Teel, nursing, alsoparticipated. Summaries of eachproject are given below.

This November, CTE willannounce next year’s FacultyFellows program. Watch for elec-tronic information about it viayour Ambassador, or check theCTE web site at www.ku.edu/~cteafter November 15.

Mehrene Larudee’s project,“Actively Learning Economics,”had three components: case teach-

ing, 3-D computer images andphysical models for teachingmicroeconomic concepts, andclassroom games to involve stu-dents and clarify concepts.Larudee reported that students’assessments suggested all threemethods have uses, with caseteaching the best received.

For his project, “MultimediaSolutions to Math Exercises,”Satya Mandal developed interac-tive multimedia materials for twocourses. He created an onlinehomework package for studentsand incorporated multimedia illus-trations and problem solutionsinto his online notes for the class-es. Mandal reported that students’responses have been very positive.

In “Developing Digital LecturePresentations,” Gina Westergardcreated eight digital PowerPoint™lectures for the Introduction toDesign courses. Integrating tech-nology into design basic studiesclasses will be a long-term benefitto students who take and facultywho teach these classes.

For “Improving UndergraduateStudents’ Attitudes TowardNursing Research,” Cynthia Teeldeveloped a web-based collabora-tion between senior nursing stu-dents in Kansas City and theirpeers at a college in Canada. Atthe end of class, students reporteda significant improvement in theirattitudes about research, thusmeeting Teel’s project goals.

4 s TEACHING MATTERS NOVEMBER 2002

GOOD WORK

Learning communities expected to enhance students’ academic success at KU

Faculty Fellows complete projects, report results

Amnesty Day

Pregnant ferrets do get lost indorm rooms … printers eat paperjust as they use up the ink …humongous red face-rashes canerupt, causing fingers to balloonjust as a student begins to write apaper … commuting studentsreally could encounter a truck-load of spilled cottage cheese onK-10 … and it is true that some-times young people are placedunder house arrest without accessto a computer or the library …

Even so, as instructors wewould prefer to evaluate theexcellence of work that is turnedin rather than excuses sometimesoffered by students in lieu of thatwork. One method which mighthelp to keep the focus on teach-ing and to side-step the need topass judgment on any non-aca-demic circumstantial issue is toprohibit, across the board, all lateassignments—softening this, how-ever, with the offer of a single dayof “academic amnesty” at somepoint in the semester.

Students would know from thebeginning of the semester that thepolicy is: Due-dates are set instone, no exceptions. But they arealso told that on the academicamnesty day, they may turn in anyand all late work—no questionsasked—for evaluation, feedbackand a grade, earning up to a cer-tain percentage of the points pos-sible the day that the work wasoriginally due. The amnesty dateand the percentage of possiblelate points can be determined inkeeping with the instructor’ssemester schedule and grading cri-teria. In channeling students’ cre-

ative energy and professors’ evalu-ative capacities into course workrather than judgment of rationalesfor missed due-dates, a strongerstudent-teacher partnership candevelop … and a certain level ofcynicism can be exorcised fromthe relationship.

—Leslie ReynardCommunication Studies

Vocal health for teachers

When vocal folds phonate (i.e.,vibrate to produce sound), theycollide fairly rapidly. During threeminutes of continual, quiet con-versation, females can experiencefrom 30,000 to 45,000 vocal foldcollisions, males from 15,000 to22,5000 collisions.

Teachers, generally a talkativelot, tend to use their voices athlet-ically. They easily experience inexcess of a million collisions a day.

Vocal fold swelling and irrita-tion can be produced by upperrespiratory viruses or infections,stress reactions, esophogeal reflux(“heartburn”), allergies, inefficientcoordination of muscles used inphonation, and too many forcefulvocal fold collisions (speaking orlaughing loudly, shouting oryelling). Symptoms may includesensations of rawness or tender-ness, hoarseness, pain while speak-ing, a persistent need to clear thethroat, vocal fatigue after 30 min-utes of use, loss of some highpitches and gaining of some lowpitches. In some cases, your voicesimply goes on strike.

If you experience vocal distress,use these techniques:1. Rest your voice as much aspossible—no speaking, no whis-pering. When you need to meetyour classes, implement strategiesoften suggested as ingredients ofeffective teaching: less teacher-talk, more student involvement;succinct verbalizations; student-led discussions or activities; use ofmultimedia. You might even con-sider synchronous online presen-tations or discussions where youcan type rather than speak.2. Maintain adequate hydration.Drink plenty of fluids, excludingalcoholic and caffeinated bever-ages, which can dry out vocal tis-sues. Avoid smoke of any sort.Increase fluid consumption whentaking drying medications such asantihistamines and decongestants.3. Resist the temptation to coughforcefully, clear your throat, whis-per or gargle—all of which canfurther stress vocal cords.4. Increase the humidity level ofthe air you breathe; 40–60% isideal. Inhaling steam for five min-utes every three hours can help.5. Avoid anesthetic throat spraysor lozenges. They mask injuriesand may encourage further abuse.Glycerin-based lozenges are best.

To care for your voice:• Learn to use your voice effi-

ciently with proper breath sup-port and appropriate resonance.

• Avoid masking noises in yourclassroom. Speaking too close tonoise from air conditioning orheating vents, windows that facetraffic, or from electrical equip-ment or lights can cause you tophonate more strenuously.

(continued page 7)

NOVEMBER 2002 TEACHING MATTERS s 5

TEACHING TIPS

Two strategies to keep you and your students going

Several ideas show up repeatedlyin the research literature abouthow to motivate learners, andthree are especially applicable tothe use of electronic resources forinstruction. The first emphasizesthe importance of gaining andholding on to student attention,the second focuses on the rele-vance of course content to the“real world,” and the third stress-es the role of student confidencein motivation. How can we usethe various technologies availableto our students to take advantageof these ideas?

Gaining student attention isnot terribly difficult. As humans,we’re all attracted to unfamiliarstimuli, and we can use this novel-ty effect to our students’ advan-tage by providing a variety ofmaterials—in class and out—thatstimulate the senses. Holding onto attention, however, requires acareful balance between the unex-pected and the potentially dis-tracting. The judicious use ofcolor to highlight specific areas ofa graphic, audio clips to accompa-ny visuals, or short video clips todisplay processes can all be usedto hold on to student attentionwithout exposing students to“PowerPoint™ Poisoning,” atwhich point attention (and moti-vation) disappear. Instructorsmust first identify the key con-cepts learners should attend to,then determine how they mightdraw attention to those ideas withcarefully selected media.

Another important key tomotivation is helping students tosee the connection between what

they’re learning and the worldbeyond the classroom. The Webcan help to build this sense of rel-evance by providing access to cur-rent ideas, up-to-the-minutenews, and research reports thatmight otherwise be delayed bymore traditional publishingavenues. Obviously, the Web alsoprovides access to inaccurate, out-dated and biased documents, aswell, but providing students withthe skills to evaluate these materi-als and determine their valueextends simple comprehension ofcourse content into higher orderthinking. If students are expectedto find examples (good or bad) ofhow the concepts they’re learninghave been utilized by others,they’ll begin to see the linksbetween abstract ideas and con-crete application of those ideas.This can be a powerfully motivat-ing experience and one that willkeep students engaged in studying material that might otherwise beconsidered uninspiring, whenconsidered in isolation.

Early examples of computer-assisted instruction often weresimply drill-and-practice programsthat helped create a foundation ofbasic declarative knowledge (themultiplication table, for example)from which students would laterdraw to learn more advanced top-ics. While hardly motivational inthemselves, the programs diddemonstrate an idea that has sincebeen championed as a motivatingforce: self-confidence. The com-puter, however it is utilized, canbe an infinitely patient tutor andprovide an environment in which

learners may try out newfoundskills and knowledge in a relativelynon-threatening manner. SeveralKU faculty are using Blackboard™to provide students with practicequizzes or homework exercisesthat encourage them to keep upwith their reading, while also pro-viding feedback about theirprogress. Knowing that they’re“getting it” is highly motivationaland can be helpful information forthe instructor, as well.

If you’re considering usingthese techniques to enhance stu-dent motivation in your courses,give IDS a call at 4-2600. We’llbe happy to work with you onways to gain and hold studentattention, emphasize the relevanceof course content to the “realworld,” and enhance students’confidence in their abilities.

SUMMARYThree reasons to use electronicresources to increase motivation:1. Attention: Identify key con-

cepts then draw attention tothem with carefully selectedmedia such as graphics, audioclips or video clips.

2. Relevance: Connect what students are learning in theclassroom with the “realworld” via the Web.

3. Self-confidence: Give studentspractice quizzes or homeworkexercises in a non-threateningmanner through programssuch as Blackboard™.

6 s TEACHING MATTERS NOVEMBER 2002

INNOVATIONS

Using technology to enhance student motivationSusan Zvacek, IDS

Motivation involves processes thatoccur as individuals begin andsustain goal-directed actions(Pintrich and Schunk, 2002). Ineducation, motivation is a key ele-ment of all teaching and learning.

To help teachers analyze howmotivation functions as a phe-nomenon in their classroom, JohnBiggs (1999) identifies four typesof motivation and students’ valueswithin each type.

Extrinsic motivation—Whatthe outcome produces. Studentsdo work because they value theoutcome (i.e., the grade).Students don’t focus on learning;instead, they perform to obtain areward or to avoid a punishment.This type of motivation, Biggssays, “is a standing invitation tostudents to adopt a surfaceapproach” (p. 59). If studentsquestion why they need to knowmaterial and teachers answerbecause it will be on the test,learning is devalued.

Social motivation—Whatother people value. Students arelearning because they want toplease other people whose opin-ions they value, whether it’s theirfamily or, to some degree, societyin general. Sometimes this kind ofmotivation has a positive affect inthe classroom, if the teacherbecomes someone studentsadmire and want to please. It’sunclear whether this type of moti-vation contributes to deep learn-ing, however.

Achievement motivation—The opportunity for ego enhance-ment. Here, “students may learnin order to enhance their egos by

competing against other studentsand beating them. It makes themfeel good about themselves” (p.59–60). This type of motivationoften results in deep learning,since students must know materialwell if they are to succeed. Thecompetitive environment will havea chilling effect on the classroomclimate at some point, though,because students are seen as com-petitors not colleagues. Biggs alsonotes that “more students areturned off and work less wellunder competitive conditions thanthose who are turned on andwork better” (p. 60).

Intrinsic motivation—Theprocess of doing it. As otherresearchers have done, Biggspoints out that intrinsic motiva-tion is often tied to previous suc-cess. If a student arrives in yourscience class with several previoussuccesses in science classes, thatstudent will probably arrivealready motivated. Teachers havelittle control over this type of

motivation. Biggs remarks, “Youcannot require students to beintrinsically motivated, except byteaching properly” (p. 70). Forhim, proper teaching involvesbuilding students’ knowledgebases, helping students achievesignificant success, and givingthem some ownership over theirlearning. If we do that, he saysthat intrinsic motivation follows asnight follows day (p. 61).

Resources: Biggs, J. (1999). Teachingfor quality learning at university.Buckingham, England: Society forResearch into Higher Education &Open University Press.Pintrich, P. R. & Schunk, D. H.(2002). Motivation in education (2ed). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

SUMMARYStudents are influenced by differ-ent types of motivation: extrinsic,social, achievement and intrinsic.What students value determinesthe type of motivation at work intheir learning.

NOVEMBER 2002 TEACHING MATTERS s 7

PERSPECTIVES

Motivation and learning: What teachers can and can’t doJudy Eddy, CTE

Vocal health for teachers (continued from page 5)

• Do not pitch your speaking voice too low.• Be aware that esophogeal reflux (“heartburn”) can cause vocal fold

inflammation. • Warm up your voice daily. Let gentle, buzzy hums or lip trills,

descending resonant sighs or yawns, etc. become part of your morn-ing shower routine.

• Balance voice use time with voice rest time.See your physician if any of these three conditions exist: First, if

vocal problems last for more than seven days, despite rest and homeremedies. Second, if you have persistent hoarseness. Hoarseness isoften the first sign of a problem more serious than an upper respirato-ry infection. Third, if your voice exhibits a pronounced and ongoingbreathy quality in any parts of your speaking voice range.

—James Daugherty, Music & Dance

Eighteen ways to motivate your studentsIn Teaching at Its Best, Linda Nilson identifies 18 ways to motivate students:1. Deliver presentations with enthusiasm and energy. Displaying your motivation motivates your students.2. Make the course personal. Give reasons why you’re interested in the material, and make it relevant to

students. Show how the subject fits into the big picture and how it contributes to society. By doing this,you’ll be a role model for student interest and involvement.

3. Get to know your students—their majors, interests and backgrounds. This information will help youadapt material to your students’ concerns, and your interest in them will inspire loyalty to you.

4. Give students some voice in determining what the course will cover. If they have input, they will bemore responsible for their own learning.

5. Use examples and case studies freely. This makes the class real-world to your students.6. Use various presentation methods to accommodate various learning styles.7. Teach by discovery whenever possible. Students find reasoning through a problem and discovering the

underlying principle to be satisfying and intrinsically motivating.8. Use a variety of active learning methods such as discussions, debates, press conferences, symposia, role

playing, simulations, problem-based learning, case studies, writing, etc. These activities engage studentsin the material and give them opportunities to master it for achievement’s sake.

9. Use cooperative learning, which is student-active and provides positive, motivating social interactions.10. Make material accessible. Explain it in common language and avoid jargon when possible.11. Emphasize conceptual understanding above rote memorization. Facts are means to a goal—to construct

broader concepts—not goals themselves.12. Set realistic performance goals and help students achieve these by encouraging them to set their own

reasonable goals. Striving to exceed their personal best will be a powerful motivator for students.13. Design assignments that are appropriately challenging based on your students’ experience and aptitude.

Assignments that are too easy or much too difficult are counter-productive.14. Place appropriate emphasis on testing and grading. Make tests fair. Tests should show students what they

have mastered, not what they haven’t.15. Accentuate the positive, especially in grading. Acknowledge improvement. Negative comments should

pertain to particular performances (i.e. “this paper”), not the performer (“your writing”). 16. Use humor when appropriate. A joke or humorous anecdote lightens the mood and can enhance learn-

ing. Just be sensitive to the context, setting and audience.17. Foster communication in both directions. Convey your expectations, but also ask for student feedback.18. Appeal to extrinsic motivators. Inform students about careers in your discipline and how your course

prepares students for these opportunities. Whenever possible, link new knowledge to its usefulness insome occupation.

From Nilson, L. B. (1998). Teaching at its best. Bolton, MA: Anker.

8 s TEACHING MATTERS NOVEMBER 2002

Teaching Matters is published by the Center for Teaching Excellence and dis-tributed to KU faculty at no charge. Its purpose is to disseminate informationto faculty about teaching, learning, and faculty enrichment opportunities.

The staff welcomes your comments and suggestions. We will upon occasioninvite the submission of articles of special interest to the academic community.

Editor: Judy EddyCenter for Teaching ExcellenceThe University of Kansas1455 Jayhawk Blvd., Room 135Lawrence, Kansas 66045-7604785-864-4199cte@ku.eduwww.ku.edu/~cteThe University of Kansas does not discriminate in its academic, admissions,

or employee programs and abides by all federal regulations pertaining to same.

END NOTE