Weekly Reflection

Due: November 8, 2005

"Motivation and Learning"

Driscoll, #5, p. 347

While you can find many learners with low self-efficacy in many urban schools, teachers in rural schools have noticed an increase in these learners as many families move out of the cities.  A learner does not have to be poor or young to experience low self-efficacy.  Although not always the case, these students with low self-efficacy may come from homes where they do not receive any attention or maybe where they are the oldest child with responsibilities to care for younger siblings.  There are many things that may contribute to a learners low self-efficacy.  However, the response is usually the same:  these learners either withdraw from classmates or "act out" and are labeled "trouble-makers."

Several strategies can be used to help these learners become more efficacious.  These strategies include, but are not limited to: (1) private discussion about behavior, (2) opportunities to share their goals and dreams, (3) extra time to respond to questions, (4) opportunities to write self-reflections, or (5) peer tutoring/peer working arrangements.  It's important to note that many of these strategies are also used when dealing with special education students.

Instructors must help learners become more efficacious because low-efficacious learners grow up to become low self-efficacious adults.