Today, I’d like to talk about the challenges in teaching and learning that we may face throughout your period at this school. I will cover two significant topics – motivation (particularly its lack in terms of learning) and the use of computers in a classroom. My aim here is to suggest a number of solutions to these issues that may be helpful.
Motivational Issues
To begin, there are numerous reasons that are likely to lead to a lack of motivation. Specifically, not all students are motivated to learn because subjects aren’t considered important. Often, this is founded on the perception of topics as severely challenging (Wentzel, 2020). Then, students don’t have much time outside of school to learn as they work three days per week – so the educational process mostly takes place in the classroom, which seems not enough. Finally, the use of standard German is challenging because of diglossia in Switzerland.
The first dimension is the willingness to learn, which implies a positive attitude toward learning. In order to have positive thinking, you should have confidence that what you learn is meaningful and enriching (Wentzel, 2020). You should also consider the significance of a subject matter for the future. The IT sphere demonstrates the most rapid tempo of development and growth, so I don’t think you have any problems in this vein. Still, you should remember that your future is completely open. Hence, you don’t know what knowledge and skills will be useful for your upcoming career. One thing is certain: the more you know and can do, the better your chances.
Then, there is another practical aspect – you should understand that what you have to catch up on later in adult life, for example, in further education courses, will cost them a lot of time and money. The school is free of charge.
And, of course, don’t be afraid of challenges. Don’t give up at the slightest resistance. If you don’t understand something at first, there is no reason to give up. Don’t get outside help right away; just say, ‘I want to do this on my own.’
The second dimension in this regard is interest – a lack of it is not easy to create, yet we can specifically awaken and strengthen our interest. Curiosity and openness to the world are the most important promoters of interest (Steinmayr et al., 2019). Develop a positive attitude towards questions and enjoy asking and especially answering questions. Moreover, don’t always put the question of usefulness and application in the foreground. In science, there are many discoveries that originally had no use but later were of great practical value; this also applies to our lives.
The third dimension is confidence in one’s own ability. For motivation and learning success, it’s essential to believe in our capabilities and repeatedly give ourselves a sense of achievement, both large and small. There are many ways to strengthen the mentioned confidence (Wentzel, 2020). In particular, if you fail, you shouldn’t say, ‘bad luck, the wrong assignments were given, the teacher doesn’t like me, I can’t do that.’ Put failure down to insufficient effort and think carefully about what you could have done differently.
Furthermore, remember that you learn from mistakes – they are an important part of learning. We often learn more from them than from doing something right accidentally (Steinmayr et al., 2019). Hence, don’t try to avoid making mistakes at all costs when practicing. As you proceed, remember that you have made progress and that you now know more. Don’t forget to enjoy the success and give yourself a small reward for it.
The fourth dimension is the ability to set goals ourselves. Goals in school and in professional life are set from outside. We can set our own more specific aims within these goals. In order to be successful within this scope, you should set short-term and, therefore, manageable and clear goals in day-to-day work. Then, decide what you want to do, how long you’d like to work, and by when you are to complete something.
Usage of Computers in Classroom
The second topic that I’d like to cover is the use of computers in a classroom. There are many ways in which laptops and tablets can be used in the classroom. For instance, they supplement the learning content with audio files and videos, and learners can access further information directly via links. Students become more independent of the teacher and learn more self-determined: learning content is published in OneNote/Teams (Alt, 2018). Then, group work in which several people work on a document at the same time is also possible. With such an approach, learners see that they have a responsibility and that they are part of the whole process.
However, one may claim that the mentioned devices cause a great extent of distraction. The response is simple – the fact that students are distracted happens without a computer – but with it, everything becomes easier. There is an opportunity to make learning videos and pack the theory inputs into five-minute films. The advantage for learners is that they can work through the theory at their own pace. This way of working has the advantage for teachers as they have more time for personal support and discussions (Lawrence & Tar, 2018). Educators no longer have to be omniscient but primarily accompany young people, enabling them to answer questions themselves. The knowledge is available on the internet.
References
Alt, D. (2018). Science teachers’ conceptions of teaching and learning, ICT efficacy, ICT professional development and ICT practices enacted in their classrooms. Teaching and Teaching Education, 73(1), 141–150.
Lawrence, J. E., & Tar, U. A. (2018). Factors that influence teachers’ adoption and integration of ICT in teaching/learning process. Educational Media International, 55(1), 79–105.
Steinmayr, R., Weidinger, A. F., Schwinger, M., & Spinath, B. (2019). The importance of students’ motivation for their academic achievement – replicating and extending previous findings. Frontiers in Psychology, 10(1730).
Wentzel, K. (2020). Motivating students to learn (5th ed.). Routledge.