Motivation and Goal Setting
Even the most successful students must find ways to motivate themselves
to study. Students who are motivated tend to set personal learning goals.
Students who don't set learning goals are more likely to skim over course
content with the intention of learning what they read but without any
specific strategies for accomplishing that goal. Students who set specific
goals have more opportunities to note gaps in their own learning and to
be aware of their progress.
Goals should be specific, measurable, and achievable. Goal setting should
happen on several levels. Achieving small, specific goals leads to accomplishing
larger goals.
I'm taking this course to finish a diploma so I can start working
in a new field.
I'm reading this chapter to understand the relationship between setting
goals and motivation.
I'm researching journal articles to find evidence to support my main
thesis for my research paper.
I'm watching this video clip to learn the key points in a clinical procedure.
I'm doing these review questions to test my understanding of these concepts
and to identify gaps in my knowledge.
I'm highlighting key terms to add to a review sheet of terminology that
I can use as a study aid for the final exam.
Rather than setting a goal such as, "I'm going to study for one hour,"
it is a good idea to link a time goal with a task goal or what it is that
you want to achieve during that time period. A plan to read and synthesize
the first half of Chapter 3 in an hour, or to memorize the technical terms
in Module 1 over three 15-minute sessions, is more productive than reading
for the same length of time without a specific goal in mind.
What does setting and achieving personal learning goals have to do
with doing well in a course? The instructor tells us what we're supposed
to learn and if I want a good mark, I have to do what I'm told.
While it's true that you need to meet your instructor's expectations
to do well in a course, it does not mean that you cannot fulfill your
own learning goals. If your personal learning goal is to pass the course
so you will have a credential that will be recognized at work, your goal
could be to go through the course requirements quickly, doing the minimum
amount of work and receiving a passing grade. If your personal learning
goal is to learn some strategies to deal with difficult situations in
the workplace, you will need to be able to apply the course material to
your work context and might choose assignment topics that support that
goal.
 
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