In this session we considered a case on activities. In this case, a professor assigned a difficult readon on Marx and students were frustrated. One student, in particular, who had lived under communism, was angry. The professor used this student’s perspective to generate new questions to explain Marx, but became the sole knowledge base on the topic.

We discussed the following question: Which aspect(s) of the motivational frameworkmight help Professor X in designing activities that better engage students?

Responses included:

Meaning: Ask students reflect on their own economic situation to make the topic more relevant; invite student to select passages that they find meaningful and reflect on these

Inclusion: Have students work in groups and jigsaw so that they connect with each othe

Attitude: Invite students to negotiate supplemental texts so they have some choice; invite student to select passages that they find meaningful and reflect on these

Competence: Journal logs allow students to show reactions, inferences, and assertions to show that they’ve understood the text and class discussion and/or faculty feedback can confirm what students understand of the text

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