WARNING:

WARNING:Making, carrying, or using overhead

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training packet poses a significant physical

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audience -- use sparingly and very

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The Center for Research on LearningMichael F. Hock, Ph.D.

June 9, 2003

Developing Possible Selves and Enhancing Student Motivation

Advance Organizer

• Introduction & Purpose

• The Challenge

• A “Possible Selves” Solution

• Planning for Implementation

The Challenge

• Is student motivation a factor in student

achievement?

• What are the student motivational issues

that teachers face?

• What are the parameters we must operate

under next fall?

“Give me a fish, and I eat for a day. Teach me to fish,

and I eat for a lifetime.”

—Chinese Proverb

“I don’t know how to fish, and I don’t care to learn.

I don’t even like fish. So don’t bother me!”

—“Non-Motivated” Student

Mean Score = 59% Mean Score = 27% Mean Score = 65%

8 Weeks 6 Weeks 4 Weeks

Quiz ScoresTest Scores

Unmotivated??

“Students are not unmotivated. However, they may not

be motivated to do what we want them to do.”

—Richard Lavoie

Unmotivated??

“Students are not unmotivated. However, they may not be motivated

to do what we want them to do.”

—Richard Lavoie

Unmotivated??

• Students are motivated when they:

– have a goal they believe is achievable

– have the desire (reasonable effort) to attain the

goal

– have a plan in place to attain the goal

University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 2002

FIRST Overhead # 10

Example List and Questions (Cont.)

2. Multiple choice questions

Which of the following is one of the five senses?

a. chemicals c. telepathy

b. taste d. electrolysis

Which of the following cannot be sensed through the five senses?

a. sunshine c. thoughts

b. a bird’s song b. sour


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“Successful people have high HOPE. Hope can be nurtured.”

—Rick SnyderThe Psychology of Hope

HOPE results from having

willpower (desire)

and waypower (a plan)

for goals.

Hope


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I Have a Dream

Bryant Gumbel: What do you want to be when you grow up?

Jamaal: A judge.

Bryant: What will that take?

Jamaal: I need to first become a lawyer.

Bryant: And how do you do this?

Jamaal: I have to study hard now; then finish high school with good grades, then I will go to Grinnell, and then to a good law school.

*Grinnell College as reported on the Today Show, November 14, 1990, cited in Borkowski, et al. 1992.

Baseline Strategic Tutoring

Mean Score = 45% Mean Score = 89%

Follow-Up

Mean Score = 86%

4 Weeks10 Weeks4 Weeks

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Research Results

A Possible Selves Solution

• Possible Selves are ideas about what one might

become in the future (Markus & Nurris, 1986)

• One’s vision of the future is motivating

• Future vision includes:– Hoped for selves

– Expected selves

– Feared selves

Discovering

What are my interests?

“First is the Dream”

Working

How am I doing?Planning

How do I get there?

Reflecting

What can I be?

Sketching

What am I like?

Thinking

Who am I?

Possible Selves Components


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See PS Manual

Lesson 1: IntroductionWhy Study Possible Selves?

• Fear of the future vignette

• I have a dream vignette

• Possible Selves film models & discussion

• Build a PS Goal Folder

• Success formula

• The Dream Catcher metaphor

• The Unit Organizer

• Dreams quote

Manual p. 17

Lesson 2: DiscoveringWhat are my strengths and interests?

• The Tamara model

• October Sky, Rudy, interests

• Surface student interests and skills

• Highlight strength area(s) collage

• Discuss positive experiences

Lesson 3: Thinking about hopes, expectations, and fears

• Possible Selves vocabulary

• Open-ended interview/– Describe yourself as a …...

– What are your hopes as a ….?

– What are your expectations …..?

– What are your fears …..?

• I DO WE DO YOU DO

• Teacher/counselor analysis


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Lesson 3: Thinking

• Goal: Identify current & future Possible

Selves

• Procedures: Complete the interview– One to one

– Group/class• I do

• We do

• You do


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Activity Packet

Lesson 3: Thinking Section 1

• Define Hope, Expectation, Fear p. 39

• Conduct the Interview

– What words or phrases best describe you as an

(educator)?

– What do you hope to achieve as an educator?

– What do you expect to achieve as an educator?

– What do you fear as an educator?


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Describe Example: Educator

• Fair

• Organized

• Outcome driven

• Distracted by non-committed students

• Irritated by politics of teaching

• Creative

• Knowledgeable about pedagogy

• Bored with routineYour Thoughts?


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– What words or phrases best describe you as a

learner?

– What do you hope to achieve as a learner?

– What do you expect to achieve as a learner?

– What do you fear as a learner?


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Your Thoughts?

Hope Example: Educator

• Connect in positive way with students

• Close the academic & social gap

• Make a difference—validate interventions!

• Maintain enthusiasm

• Teach all students

• Return focus to K-12 education


FIRST Overhead # 24




educator?





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Your Thoughts?

Expectation Example: Educator

• Continue in the field of education

• Develop additional instructional interventions

• Validate Possible Selves

• Expand my work with Pathways

• Reassess my role at KUAC


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educator?





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Your Thoughts?

Fears: Educator

• Feel stuck—no options

• Burn out, become cynical

• Lose energy

• Just hang around waiting to retire

• Stuff doesn’t work!


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Completing the Questionnaire(optional activity)

• Answer remaining questions in “person and

learner” areas

• Create final overhead quality documents


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Lesson 4: Sketching Me and My Possible Selves

• Create a Possible Selves Tree

• Questionnaire Highlights Form

• Based on the Interview– Draw the tree trunk and 3 limbs w/labels

– Draw HOPE and EXPECTATION branches/leaves

– Draw the root system for the tree (DESCRIBE)

– Draw the FEAR/THREATS to the tree

• Stand back and evaluate

FEAR

FEAR

FEAR

A Job I Hate

Flunking Out Even When You Try

Injury

Other Overhead Examples

Possible Selves Tree


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Complete pp. 49-50

Lesson 5: Reflecting

• Goal: to identify goals that strengthen and

support growth of the “Tree”

• Where are most branches, hopeful words?

• Where are fewest branches, hopeful words?

• Which limb needs strengthening?

• List 3 goals that will help do this.

• Prioritize these goals


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Lesson 6: Growing

• Goal: develop action plans

• Select a goal and hope and write on form

• Identify action steps that lead to goal

attainment

The Hope

The Goal

The Tasks

My hope is to become a certified diesel technician

I will graduate from Gates Technology School by May 2004.

Step 1

Step 4

Step 3

Step 2

Step 5

Determine what course I

Determine what I need to do to get into tech school- H.S. diploma??

Put together a graduation plan.

Pass all my classes with a GPA of 2.75

Attend class regularly.

Set up tutoring with the After School Prog for math and English.

Improve my basic algebra skills with a Strategic Tutor.

Improve my textbook reading skills with a Strategic Tutor.

My Action Plan


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Lesson 7: Performing

• Write a Mission Statement

• Review/revise/update the plan– Mentor meetings

– E-mail (e.g., MyGoals.com model)

– Counselors

– Peers

– Other

What Is Possible?

BEFORE

• I want to be a professional basketball player.

• I want to touch people’s lives.

AFTER

• I want to be known as a hard worker and strive to be one of the best players in college basketball.

• I want to be well respected and loved by my family and friends in everything I do.

• I want to live a good life and support my family as well as other family members.

• I want to live my life as a caring person who will always help others.

• I wish to be a good father, husband, and provider.

• I want to be a very caring person.

• I wish to end up in heaven.


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Planning for Implementation

• Target person(s)/courses

• Decide on format

• Determine logistics (time, place, staff)

• Think about materials

• Select evaluation & research data

• Conduct problem solving/follow-up

Possible Selves


• Future vision includes:

– Hoped for Possible Selves (dreams)

– Expected Possible Selves (short term)

– Feared Possible Selves (avoidance)

Yeah! Buts……(turn to your neighbor)

• How do you see Possible Selves working

with your students?

• What barriers do you see?

• What solutions can you offer?

• Does Possible Selves hold promise as an

effective motivational intervention???

• What else do you need to launch PS?

So What! Supporting Data

• University student-athletes– Counselors– Peers

• Elementary school grades 2, 3, 4

• Junior high SED class

• Middle school whole school

• Middle school selected classes

What Is Possible?

BEFORE

• “Go go man go I can do it on my own.”

AFTER

• I want to be an artist.

• I want to be a nice person.

• I want to be a good student.

What Is Possible?

BEFORE

• I want to be a basketball player.

• I want to do dunks.

• I want to be like Iverson.

AFTER

• I want to be a pro basketball player after I go to college.

• I want to use my intelligence to be a good student.

• I want to be a good person.

What Is Possible?

BEFORE

• I want to be like “Aaliyah” because she was nice and pretty and a singer.

• To travel and make my dreams come true like Aaliyah.

AFTER

• I want to be a veterinarian and help take care of animals.

• I will go to college for four years and I will use my knowledge in the workplace.

Elementary School Pilot Study

• Classroom culture change– Goal language

– Goals tied to school activities

• Implementation success

• Student’s have hopes and dreams

Jardine & Eisenhower Middle School Study

• 52 students (10 self-contained sp ed; 21 at

risk; 21 comparison)

• Whole class implementation in two

classrooms (IC support)

• Over 1 semester (with other curriculum)


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Possible Selves Outcomes

Mission Statement Measure sig.

• Total score .0001*

• Number of roles identified .0003*

• Level of education .12

• Number of goals stated .0005*

• Specificity of goal statements .0003*


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Possible Selves Outcomes

• Being Known Measure Sig..28

• “They still don’t think teachers know them very well.”

• WHY???

Teens and Self-Image: Survey Results

Question 8. How much influence does each of the following have on your life?

A Lot or Some None

Parents 96% 4%

Teacher 80% 20%

Other kids 78% 22%

Religion 70% 30%

Girl/Boyfriend 63% 37%

Celebrities 63% 37%

TV Shows 44% 56%

Advertising 36% 64%

Question 5. Who understands you the most?

Friend 42%

Parent 28%

Girl/Boyfriend 10%

No one 8%

Sibling 5%

Religious Leader 1%

Teacher 1%

Other 5%

Teens and Self-Image:Survey Results

Yeah! Buts……(turn to your neighbor)

• Do you see Possible Selves working with

your students?

• What implementation barriers do you see?

• What solutions can you offer?

• What is needed to support professional

development and implementation?

• Next steps????

Possible Selves


• Future vision includes:

– Hoped for Possible Selves (dreams)

– Expected Possible Selves (short term)

– Feared Possible Selves (avoidance)

WARNING:

Documents

learning michael

student motivationthe

student achievement

dont care

challengeis student

student motivational

high school

high hope