Subject: [IFETS-DISCUSSION:898] RE: IFETS-DISCUSSION digest 129
From: Hajre-Chapman, March C (HAJRECHAPMANM@MAIL.ECU.EDU)
Date: Sat 13 Jan 2001 - 00:53:01 MET
From: "Hajre-Chapman, March C" <HAJRECHAPMANM@MAIL.ECU.EDU> Subject: [IFETS-DISCUSSION:898] RE: IFETS-DISCUSSION digest 129 Date: Sat, 13 Jan 2001 12:53:01 +1300
Ms. Carl -
You said:
<We are seeing examples of this the K-12 arena in some areas. In cases
where
<teachers freely praise students for whatever performance they do, pressure
<is at too low a threshold, and students are in a zone that is too
<comfortable. We can see this in "feel good mathematics" and curricula
more
<concerned with making students feel good about themselves rather than
<helping them grow. In these instances, why should they learn? Motivation
<is absent. By adding pressure discomfort increases, and concurrently, the
<motivation to learn increases. Moreover, by pushing the pressure envelope
<further when the student is ready for it, the teacher increases the comfort
<level of the student in performing under pressure.
My comments:
Where are you getting your information from, and what academic references
have you been reading?
I had to almost laugh (not your intention I'm sure) when I read this;
logically carried out am I to think that students welcome, enjoy, get pumped
up, etc. the addition of pressure in the learning environment?
I know there is a relationship between stress (both from emotion and body)
that make us as humans more quickly responsive to our environments, and that
too much stress without release and recharge can be harmful, (i.e., good and
bad stress) but I've never read or heard that it increases motivation in a
positive (learning) way educationally. You are only addressing external
motivation...what about internal motivational forces?
Sincerely,
March Hajre-Chapman, M.A.Ed.
Education Specialist
W. E. Laupus Health Sciences Library
Brody Medical Sciences Building
East Carolina University
Greenville, NC 27858-4354
252-816-2232
hajrechapmanm@mail.ecu.edu
'It must be remembered that the purpose of education is not to fill the
minds of students with facts... it is to teach them to think, and always to
think for themselves.' ~ Robert Hutchins
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