College of Science Professors Motivate Learners

Fall Semester 2020 was the first fully-virtual semester in CPP history. As the holidays approached, and most were planning a well-deserved break, seven science faculty were finishing a virtual class they took to improve their ability to motivate students.

Professor Paul Beardsley from CEMaST and the Department of Biological Sciences and Professor Laurie Starkey from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry enrolled in the virtual class during Fall 2020 Semester. The experience was so positive that they encouraged 13 more faculty to enroll in the class during winter break.

The course is called Motivating Learners and is offered by the Motivate Lab at the University of Virginia. Its purpose is to increase student success by teaching faculty motivational techniques they can use in the classroom.

“I’ve been interacting with the Motivate Lab for seven to eight years. Two of their members are on the advisory board of our PASSION grant,” (PI) Paul Beardsley said. PASSION stands for Polytechnic for All: STEM Success via an Inclusive Institution.

The five-year PASSION grant and the Motivating Learners class have the same goal of improving pedagogical techniques and creating an environment where all students can succeed.

Motivating Learners is built on three learning mindsets. They are: growth mindset, purpose and relevance, and sense of belonging.

Students who have a growth mindset feel that they can master course material through good learning strategies, study, and help from others. Such students tend to be more successful than those who believe they are limited by innate abilities they’re unable to change.

Purpose and relevance address questions like, Why am I learning this? How will I use it in my life?

“One of the things that’s been effective is utility value intervention which uses short exercises to help students understand how the content applies to them,” Beardsley said. “This is especially valuable to students who may need additional support to complete college-level courses.

Having a sense of belonging is an important mindset for building an inclusive institution. “It’s especially critical for first generation students who may feel they don’t belong,” Laurie Starkey said. About half the students in the College of Science are first generation college students.

“Students need to know that, yes, you belong here. This is where you’re supposed to be. It’s also important to get to know the students as people,” Starkey said. It’s hard to feel like you belong if no one knows who you are.

“One of the things I found most beneficial was the sharing that occurred among faculty,” Starkey said. “It’s an opportunity for us to learn from each other.” 

An additional 12 more faculty from chemistry and biological sciences enrolled in the Motivating Learners course in the Spring 2021 Semester. The Motivate Lab may eventually offer the course to the CSU system.

There are also excellent professional development opportunities for faculty offered by CPP’s Center for the Advancement of Faculty Excellence.