Motivation Boosters and Motivation Guzzlers

Comments on: Enhancing the educational outcomes of boys by Andrew Martin (Youth Studies, 22(4))

This article focuses on an ACT investigation into the education of boys. The problems involved and the potential solutions are discussed with reference to the findings derived from interviews with students and teachers.

My Thoughts

I have started looking at my readings and although I really should be reading them in order, I focussed on this one first because the subject matter appeals. I have read it and wanted to make a few comments on it. Now, back to Adolescence by John. W.Santrock....

• Interesting that it notes in this article that there should be less emphasis on outcomes. The basis of the NSW curriculum is that it is organised around outcomes for teachers and students. Perhaps a better way of expressing this would be to say that there should be more emphasis on individual improvement rather than checking off outcomes - it should be meaningful and meaningful for the student.
• Having done a practicum and taught Year 8 boys, I would think that small group work would be effective but it would be productive for the student's to be grouped by the teacher so to lessen distraction between students.
  
• From personal observation only, the difference between girls and boys seems to widen at Year 7 & 8, draw closer in Years 9 & 10 and perhaps widen again in the senior years in terms of learning and the learning relationships. There seems to be more cooperation between girls and boys in this middle section of highschool and before and after the learning styles seem to differ. This is based on observation only and would be interesting to research into whether this might be the case.
• I wonder how far you can go with student's involvement in lesson content, teaching methods and assessment. Certainly students should be able to have more freedom for inquiry and more able to choose their topics and they could have more input with regard to how these might be assessed, but as for their input regarding pedagogy I wonder how this might work.

Relevant Reading:

Improving the Educational Outcome of Boys - Final report to ACT Department of Education , Youth and Family Services, Canberra

http://www.decs.act.gov.au/publicat/pdf/Ed_Outcomes_Boys.pdf