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Motivating first year manufacturing engineering students to learn effectively
Author
Foo, Kok Sey
Supervisor
Chang, Agnes Shook Cheong
Abstract
This project dissertation was undertaken as part of the fulfillment for the award of the Postgraduate Diploma of Teaching In Higher Education (1997). While being educated at the National Institute of Education and educating first year Manufacturing Engineering students of German - Singapore Institute, a unit of the School of Engineering of Nanyang Polytechnic, I chose to do the project entitled 'Motivating First Year Manufacturing Engineering Students To Learn Effectively." It was an example of a lecturer-learner like myself who was self-motivated to put into practice what I've had learned from the master teachers of higher education. I was prompted to apply the newly acquired knowledge to help the first year students who had difficulties coping with their studies. So I decided to adopt a proactive approach by conducting four questionnaire surveys to ascertain the root causes of their learning problems. How could I teach them well if they were not inspired to learn? My role as an effective lecturer was therefore to teach them how to learn effectively by motivating them in as many ways as possible. The quotation "Give a man a fish and he can eat for a day; teach a man to fish, he can eat for a lifetime" aptly summarizes part of my social responsibility as a lecturer. It also gives me the inspiration because learning is a lifelong activity. Hence the paramount importance of motivation in learning as well as thinking. Many of the pertinent problems highlighted in the literature review on motivation and Learning theories were largely substantiated by the findings of the four questionnaire surveys. The project had also enabled me to look at motivational and learning problems from another perspective. Combining affective skills with cognitive skills was indeed an effective way of motivating uninterested students to want to learn. Emotions as well as positive encouragement played a key role in getting students interested in their studies and to believe in themselves. Furthermore, self-esteem and self image were easily affected by emotions and people's attitudes, which could have detrimental effects on students' motivation to learn. Despite the various suggestions and recommendations, the problems associated with motivation and learning must never be taken for granted. Moreover, they were also not panacea to all kinds of motivational problems. Thus an effective, enthusiastic lecturer must be able to improvise his/her teaching approach based on the situation, students' behaviour and time. In the final analysis, both students and lecturers' attitude toward learning and teaching would be crucial in maximizing the learning potential of the students.
Date Issued
1998
Call Number
T65.3 Foo
Date Submitted
1998