Some of this loss of joy had to do with the competitive nature of the pursuit. In an educational setting, there are very real deadlines and outside pressures as well, both on the students and teachers. Had those pressures been removed, would they have been more attentive? Would they have taken their time? Would they have reflected on what happened to others and applied it? I'm not sure. I do think that this fits in with the fear of taking risks for both students and teachers. Fear of failure based on looming deadlines and fear of the outcome not meeting expectations is part of one of Seth Godin's "four horsemen of mediocrity," and can be a powerfully paralyzing force. To alleviate this, Schlechty uses the Design Quality Protection from Adverse Consequences. It means taking the time to establish a culture that appreciates risk taking and sees failure as part of a meaningful learning process. One way may be to encourage curiosity, as Ramsey Musallam suggests in this TED talk:
Another way is to work to free our experiences from the barriers that create frustration, such as the ones discussed in the article "Analysis of Communication Barriers to Distance Education." Here are some of the barriers mentioned and some approaches we could attempt to stave off frustration: -
Technical - Can we create a Knowledge Base (this is our growing one) for students with solutions to a variety of problems presented in a variety of ways? Some may want to learn by video, while others appreciate the step-by-step guides. Either way, a repository 24/7 of suggestions for typical issues may help. -
Social - Students report that it is important to feel connected to the teacher and other students in their courses. How can we create moments that build group connectedness? Here is a link to some online icebreakers. These icebreakers can be fast - we can use a took like Padlet where participants can comment quickly in a variety of ways without having to make an account. -
Motivation - A motivated student will persist even when challenges arise. Where can we offer choice and flexibility to our experiences so that students will stay motivated? Where can we provide them with opportunities to take ownership on the management of the course? Here is the Tricider I set up for a future Creative Writing course. After looking at Peer Review forms, this site is for them to start having conversations and then eventually build their own form. -
Lack of experience with a technology tool or medium - This is a common barrier. Prensky and others remind us that we may be working with digital natives, but that does not mean that they inherently know the ins and outs of all tools. They may be more likely to investigate and explore the tool, but some will still need help. This article discusses the need for awareness of the wide array of comfort with various tools. That brings us back to the Knowledge Base. -
Belief in more traditional models - Some students have been very successful in more traditional models. I will never forget when my son told me to stop interfering because he "liked the worksheets." He didn't necessarily feel he learned more that way, but he liked the ease and lack of deeper thinking required when it came to classes that did not hold his interest. When looking at the model of engagement, he was not saying he was engaged. He and others, though, find rewards in being strategically compliant, and the fear of risk taking can overwhelm some of them.
The more we can remove the roadblocks, the more we can engage and spend our time on the real work of the experience at hand.
