1. Raymond J. Wlodkowski, Ph.D.
Motivation and Learning in Culturally Diverse Environments: A Framework & Practices
Margery B. Ginsberg, Ph.D.
Raymond J. Wlodkowski, Ph.D.
AAACE, November 9, 2016

2. Why is diversity and adult education an enduring concern?
Persistent low-completion rates (40%)
Challenges facing developmental education
Disproportionality of low-income, students-of-color who stop out or drop out.
Policy research suggests what to do but not how to do it on the ground.

3. Evolution of motivation in adult learning
What is intrinsic motivation and why is it essential to post-secondary student success?
Equivalence of motivation and learning
Motivation and engagement – the role of agency, terms that appear to culturally neutral.
The importance of thinking motivationally

4. Why is instruction foundational to academic success?
90% of social or academic engagement is in the classroom or online.
Abstract & extrinsically reinforced systems of education do not work for at least 1/3rd of students.
Access is inseparable from inclusion.

5. Thought Questions Teaching, Advising, Committees
What is something you have added to or changed about your interactions or instructional repertoire to be more motivationally effective in a culturally diverse environment? Please complete this sentence: I haven’t yet found a way to…

6. Problem of Practice for Educators
Most educational leaders, faculty, and staff do not have a consistent approach or model to foster interactions & learning experiences that are intrinsically motivating.
How can we address this without adding one more complicated framework?

8. Generally, if we teach as we’ve been taught…
…we sanction individual performance …we prefer “reasoned” argumentation …we advocate impersonal objectivity …we condone individual competition

9. Generally, when we teach as we were taught …
Socratic Method
individual performance
argumentative literacy
objectivity
competition

10. When we accept our own cultural norms as universal…
…when students disengage we see deficit rather
than difference.

11. Multi-disciplinary Research Cultural studies, psychology, flow, constructivism, sociology, literacy, language acquisition, gender studies, adult learning, assessment, information science, disciplinary standards, arts, special needs, transformation theory, multiple intelligences, inquiry-focused learning, cooperative learning…

12. The Motivational Framework for Culturally Responsive Teaching

13. Constructing the 4 Conditions How do you create…
An environment in which learners & educators feel respected and connected? (Inclusion)
A favorable disposition toward learning through relevance and volition? (Positive Attitude)
Challenging and engaging learning experiences connected to learners’ perspectives? (Meaning)
A shared understanding that learners are becoming more effective at something they value? (Competence)

14. Example: Equity Audit Assignment
What would make it safe for you and others to survey your school about equity & oppt.? What would make it safe for school staff to participate in an audit?
Options, draft tools including a draft statement of purpose, sample questions, clear criteria for success.
Lit. & in-class practice asking good questions, in-class simulation w/ an advance learner, project plans with feedback prior to implementation.
Rubric for final paper, instructor accessibility, formative & summative - AIRE

18. I AM Competent

19. Improvement Motivation - Learning from students Learning from instruction Learning from data

20. Where there is a will, there is a way” should be reversed and restated as “Where there is a way, there is a will.”
(p. 45). Anyon, 2005

21. Please think back to the early thought question regarding your professional practice.
What stimulated your thinking?

22. Is this you?

23. Concluding Thoughts

24. THANK YOU!