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Warm up - Discussion

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Enhancing participation and engagement

adapted from ELIXIR-GOBLET Train the Trainer - Session 3

Please do not move ahead in the slides.

Is tempting, but you are strong.

I believe in you!!

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Training activities to enhance learner participation and engagement

ELIXIR-GOBLET Train the Trainer - Session 3

elixir-europe.org

The third session focuses on learner engagement and active learning. It encourages trainers to think beyond lecturing and to design training that requires learners to participate, practise, reflect, and interact.

A central theme of this session is the shift from the trainer as the **“sage on the stage”** to the trainer as the **“guide on the side”**. This does not mean that trainers should never explain or present information. Rather, it means that effective training should create opportunities for learners to actively work with the material.

The session also addresses motivation. For learners to engage meaningfully, they need to perceive value in the learning goal, believe that they can succeed, and feel that the learning environment is supportive. These elements are closely connected to learner confidence, participation, and persistence.

///

More information for trainers:

In this session, learners will reflect on a range of active learning strategies, such as:

- peer instruction

- flipped classroom approaches

- think-pair-share

- group discussions

- pair programming

- practical exercises

- reflection activities

These approaches help learners process information, apply new ideas, and learn from one another.

TtT participants are also encouraged to consider how trainers can unintentionally demotivate learners. This includes the use of diminishing language, assumptions about learners’ prior knowledge, and behaviours that may reinforce stereotype threat or impostor feelings.

For TtT instructors, this session is especially important because the course itself should model active learning. Participants should experience the kinds of activities they are being encouraged to use, and they should have opportunities to reflect on how and why those activities work and in which contexts can work.

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Learning Outcomes

By the end of Session 3 you will be able to:

Describe what makes training effective
Describe what makes a trainer effective
Identify some strategies that facilitate active, interactive and collaborative learning
List factors of motivation and demotivation
Identify what instructors can do to motivate and avoid demotivating learners

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Effective training & good trainer

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Challenge

Break-out room (2 ppl per room)

⏰ 10 min

Recall concrete examples of your past training experience
Share with your colleague
✏️ Write in shared notes 3 keywords for effective training
✏️ Write in shared notes 3 keywords for a good trainer

What makes training effective?

What makes a good trainer?

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A good trainer & effective training

Good trainer

Facilitates learning �
Sets clear and appropriate

Learning Outcomes (LOs)
Learning Experience (LEs)�

Will make its best to:

be empathetic
be accessible
be engaging
be inspiring

Consequences and Aims

A good trainer is defined by how well they help people learn. Like any skill, training becomes easier with experience. However, even without extensive experience, focusing on the learners and supporting their learning process can make a training session more effective.

Good training also requires careful planning. This starts with defining clear learning objectives (LOs) and choosing learning experiences (LEs) that help learners achieve those objectives. This gives the course structure and helps learners build and improve their understanding of the topic.

Being aware of the needs, challenges, and group dynamics of each class also supports learning and encourages participation.

As a result, learners are more likely to achieve the learning objectives, stay engaged throughout the course, and benefit from a training session that can be adapted when needed to meet the needs of the participants.

Having this positive approach and mindset can bring to good consequences:

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A good trainer & effective training

Good trainer

Facilitates learning �
Sets clear and appropriate

Learning Outcomes (LOs)
Learning Experience (LEs)�

Will make its best to:

be empathetic
be accessible
be engaging
be inspiring

Consequences and Aims

Effective training

Is well designed
Brings students to LOs
Creates engagement
Is “adapted” to the current audience

As commented, having LOs and thinking about LEs will bring more structure to the session, increasing the effectiveness of the sessions. Helping you as a trainer to design a good training and to re-access it when necessary. Facilitating the process to students to achieve the LOs.

Additionally, being empathetic and showing you are accessible will create more opportunity for engagement and all together improve the chances of having a more effective training session.

This will allow students to ask questions and reach-out to you, which is an important part of training.

If students are not engaging in questions and reflections can be due 3 reasons.

1- They don’t feel comfortable to approach you

2- The content is too easy for this crowd

3- The content is too difficult for them

Figuring out which is your case can be done by individually approaching students during activities to casually talk and discuss their process, at the same time that you create the space for them to ask questions privately.

As a consequence the course will lead students to achieve the LO’s, create engagement and adjust “on the go” to the set of participants.

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GOBLET skills matrix for a trainer

Communication

Planning & Management

Engagement

Expertise & Knowledge

Presentation Skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Knowledge of training methods

Awareness of user application

Subject Knowledge

Session planning

Curriculum planning

Event management

Flexibility in delivery

Empathy with participant

Participants understanding and Knowledge

The TtT taskforce of the Global Organisation for Bioinformatics Learning, Education and Training ([GOBLET] (http://mygoblet.org)), developed a skills matrix for trainers. It aims to provide an overview of the major skills required to be a good trainer; note that not all trainers will have all skills - that is not the point!

The idea is that there are four areas in which a good trainer should be or become skilled.

In many cases, trainers focus on the area of communication and are less aware about their “level” in the other areas.

In which area(s) do you feel you would need improvement? In which area(s) do you feel you are ok?

Communication:

Be yourself. Be authentic. Don’t rush your speech and mind your body language. Create space to remind yourself to stop for a while, to give students space. IT can be easy to get excited and talk without pauses. Think your presentation resource as a support, not the main source of all information. Combine key words or sentences with images. If you have longer text print them and give some time for students to read.

Planning & Management:

Planning a session involves defining the LO’s and LE’s, but not only. You need to assess the time available and intended goals. You need to think of the physical space and resources, the preparation info. for students. When applicable you need to make clear courses that are pre-requesites and students can benefit of learning paths concept. This details will not be approached in this course, but you can see more about this in SPLASH and the training cycle.

Engagement:

Having flexibility, empathy and being open to students needs and struggles makes all the difference in creating a good environment for learning and improving engagement, We will approach more details about this skills until the end of this session. However as cited in the slide before:

be empathetic
be accessible
be engaging
be inspiring
Expertise & Knowledge:

As in any area, to give training you will need to update yourself constantly. Either in the subject you are teaching, in the user cases, challenges and new applications. But also in training methods, approaches and ideas.

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Challenge

Silent self-evaluation 🤫

Which area do you need to develop in/ improve?

⏰ 5 min

✏️ Write in the shared Doc which skills you need to improve in each area of the GOBLET matrix

Reflect on your skills as a trainer

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Effective training practices for effective learning

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From traditional lecturing to active learning: a paradigm change

Professor Eric Mazur - Physics - Harvard University

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Challenge

Reflect on Mazur’s interview

Silent reflection

⏰ 2 min

✏️ Write what impressed you in Mazur’s interview in the shared notes

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Challenge

Reflect on Mazur’s interview

Silent reflection

⏰ 2 min

✏️ Write what impressed you in Mazur’s interview in the shared notes

Discussion time!

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Teaching practices for active, interactive and collaborative learning

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Differentiating

Lecture

Teacher centered

Explanation → Listeners
Less interactions
Less engagement

These are the main features of lecturing, the most typical teaching practice. Lectures, as traditionally used in formal learning, are characterised by a unidirectional flow of information, from one instructor to N learners. Only in rare occasions is there information going back to the instructor. Moreover, the instructor is not necessarily worried about the result, i.e. if the information that is sent is sedimenting or not in the learners' brain. So, the instructor can speak for several hours in unidirectional mode.

The instructor talks and explain, maybe demonstrate and the student will listen and take notes. Some might be daring to ask a question, but the dynamics is not actually meant to create the conditions for a lot of questions.

It is naturally meant for less interactions and less engagement.

There are some situations where this model is necessary, but for a training session is probably not the most effective. We need a lecture format in short presentations, speakers line-up, congress presentation. But I would not advise a long lecture in a training session.

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Differentiating

Lecture

Teacher centered

Explanation → Listeners
Less interactions
Less engagement

Active Learning

Student centered

Teaching by questioning
Collaborative learning
High level of interactions

Teacher ↔ Student ↔ Student

More engagement

In other hands an active learning is meant to be very interactive and engaging, having the teacher as a secondary piece of the game, a facilitator of the main show.

In this model you teach by questioning, having students think, answer and ask more questions. You might propose collaborative work, incentivize discussions and promote many opportunities of interaction among and with students.

Do you recognise the paradigm change proposed by Eric Mazur?

I really hope that, with the help of Mazur, you started believing that active, interactive and collaborative learning is worth considering and deserves you give it a go in one of your future training courses.

Should this be the case, you may have questions like:

how do I choose the active learning techniques for my lessons?
what “active learning” means in terms of “teaching / training practices”?
which is the most effective technique I can incorporate in my teaching?
is there any “ideal” teaching technique I should absolutely learn?

My answer is possibly not what you expect to hear ….

The instructor talks and explain, maybe demonstrate and the student will listen and take notes. Some might be daring to ask a question, but the dynamics is not actually meant to create the conditions for a lot of questions.

It is naturally meant for less interactions and less engagement.

There are some situations where this model is necessary, but for a training session is probably not the most effective. We need a lecture format in short presentations, speakers line-up, congress presentation. But I would not advise a long lecture in a training session.

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What is active & interactive & collaborative learning ?

Active Learning is anything course-related that all students in a class session are called upon to do other than simply watching, listening and taking notes

[Richard Felder, Rebecca Brent - ASQ Higher Education Brief 2009]

Active in-class Learning is:

Anything that all students are invited to do
Less watching, listening and taking notes

vs

Students need to be active in the process, something that they do instead of listening. Can be building, applying, analysing , etc. But this means they are not passively listening and taking notes. This will activate more regioes in the brain and has bigger chances of activating.

Active learning requires students to participate in class, as opposed to sitting and listening quietly. Strategies include, but are not limited to, brief question-and-answer sessions, discussion integrated into the lecture, impromptu writing assignments, hands-on activities and experiential learning events.

Active learning is anything course-related that all students in a class session are called upon to do other than simply watching, listening and taking notes (Felder, R. M., & Brent, R. (2009)).

###Further reading and watching:

Felder, R. M., & Brent, R. (2009). Active Learning: An Introduction. ASQ Higher Education Brief, 2, 4-9.
Prince, M. (2004). Does Active Learning Work? A Review of the Research. Journal of Engineering Education, 93, 223-231.

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What is active & interactive & collaborative learning ?

Learners who actively engage with course materials will end up:

retaining it for much longer
being better able to apply their knowledge broadly

[Waldrop, Nature 2015]

Active engagement�

Retaining information for much longer
Are better at applying knowledge
Can apply more broadly

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Defining appropriate teaching practice

There is NO ideal technique,�nor “ the most” effective

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Defining appropriate teaching practice

Define your teaching goals

You can translate in LOs

Use the Bloom’s level to support your plan

Each level = specific requirements

Choose the learning experience

Experience = support achievement of LOs

Target

Plan

Action

The three steps

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There is no ideal teaching practice but the most appropriate one according to three criteria

Teaching goal(s)
Bloom’s level
Learning outcomes

There is no “ideal” teaching technique or the “most effective” teaching technique.

You may remember from the Nichols’ steps of curriculum design, that it is essential that you align learning experiences to the learning outcomes of your course. In other words, for each LO, you should identify the learning experience(s) that will best support the achievement of the LO.

More in general, to decide how to teach and choose the most appropriate learning experience(s), you may use three criteria:

What is your purpose / goal (is it to inspire learners? is it to ensure they will remember a concept?)
The Bloom’s level at which you intend to teach (a specific topic; this may change from topic to topic)
The learning outcome(s) the learning experience is designed for: a lecture is not suitable to teach learners implement an algorithm. It may show how to do it, so that they may be able to describe how to do it, but if you want them to be able to do it, you will have to choose a learning experience where learners will have the chance to practice algorithm implementation.

See next slide to better understand these concepts.

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Bloom taxonomy evolution

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Bloom taxonomy new

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we are back at: ___h___

Break

10 min

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Types of LEs and its context

Lecture, Webinar
Exercise, Practical lesson
Flipped class
Peer instruction
Group discussion
Group work
Problem solving

�

Achievable steps of the Blooms’
What skills can be stimulated
Example of LO’s

7 types

- Inspired by Eric Mazur and the idea of active learning, let’s see some teaching practices that you may wish to implement in your lessons.

- Learning experience (from the learner point of view) = Teaching practice (from the teacher point of view)

- Here, we show it to reinforce the concepts discussed in the previous slide and provide you with criteria to choose the most suitable learning experience(s) for the Bloom’s level, TG(s) and LO(s).

I expect you are kind of familiar with some of the learning experiences listed here. E.g., lecture/webinar, group discussion, work in groups, problem solving. Some of you might not be familiar with the techniques of “peer instruction” and “flipped classroom”.

These two techniques can be implemented in many different ways and incorporated into your course in a “light” way or very extensively. This will depend on your familiarity with the technique. At the beginning, our suggestion is that you try with something “minimal”, test it, see how you feel and how learners receive it, and then you increase the amount of learning experiences involving peer instruction and flipped classroom.

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Types of LEs and its context

7 types

Inspire
Provide overview
Give context
Summarize��
Content digestion
Knowledge application
Show how�

Analyse material
Critical thinking
Formulate questions
Memorise new concepts

Lecture, Webinar

�

Exercise, Practical lesson

�

Flipped class

Ex.: Summarize the take-home message

Ex.: Calculate the area of a rectangle

Ex.: Formulate 3 questions about “the topic”

UNDERSTAND

REMEMBER

ANALYSE

APPLY

ANALYSE

APPLY

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In Class

Out of Class

Flipped Classroom

Before class

Student has to prepare before class

Specific LOs

…

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In Class

Out of Class

Flipped Classroom

During class

Before class

Student has to prepare before class

Student participate in activities. �Apply and discuss knowledge

Specific LOs

… …

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In Class

Out of Class

Flipped Classroom

During class

Before class

Student has to prepare before class

After class

Check understanding & extend learning

Student participate in activities. �Apply and discuss knowledge

It can be a continuous. Lasting a few sequential classes.

Specific LOs

… … ...

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Types of LEs and its context

Ex.: Discuss and formulate a unique answers for the exercise

Ex.: Argument in favor or against “an idea“

�Ex.: Compare the advantages of each LE type in the shared doc.

Peer instruction

�

Group discussion

�

Group work

CREATE

EVALUATE

CREATE

EVALUATE

UNDERSTAND

REMEMBER

CREATE

EVALUATE

Explain something
Defend an argument
Critical thinking
Feedback ⇄��
Questioning
Collaboration
Develop ideas
Critical thinking

Collaboration
Argumentation
Feedback ⇄
Digest course content

7 types

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Three group interaction methods

Different approaches

Peer instruction�

1-to-1
Dynamics (example)
Intro. new topic
Multiple choice activity

Concept Tests at avanti’s Learning Centre in Kanpur

Group discussion�

2 or more
Discuss and Decide
One answer for all
Corrections with trainer

Group work�

2 or more
Activity, action
One solution or product
Assessment by trainer

x

✔

✔/ x

Students instruct and teach each other

Peer instruction is explained here in its “traditional” form.

However, you may be creative and implement this technique in your own way.

This 2-min video is nice to watch all together (with learners) after having described how “classical” peer instruction works:

Concept Tests at avanti’s Learning Centre in Kanpur: https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=1&v=2LbuoxAy56o

This 2-min video is a quick description of what peer instruction is and what are the principles behind this technique.

Allegra suggests that trainers watch it and consider whether it is worth showing it to learners.

It is in french but it has subtitles in English:

Peer-to-peer or peer-learning: what is it? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYa4hgcMRNc

https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/advan.00045.2021

For the explanation on “group discussion” and “group work” see the content on the slide.

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Types of LEs and its context

Problem solving

�

UNDERSTAND

REMEMBER

CREATE

EVALUATE

Critical thinking
Creativity
Decision making
Troubleshooting��

Ex.: Diagnose the reason for the plant to present yellow folded leaves

7 types

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Brief question-and-answer sessions
Think, pair, share
Take notes together / shared notes

Pair programming
Brainstorming
Hands-on activities

Other teaching practices for active learning

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Challenge

Evaluate strategies for active learning

⏰ 4 min

✏️ Share your experience by

Classify the list of active learning strategies in shared Doc into

Practiced (P)
Known (K)
Unknown (U)

⏰ 7 min (discussion)

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What have we learned about teaching practices / learning experiences?

Select learning experiences according to the criteria discussed earlier:

reflect on your TG(s)
write LOs AND identify the corresponding Bloom’s level

Select learning experiences allowing learners to achieve LOs
Always remember that learning occurs BY DOING
Be aware of other practices and behaviours supporting:

interactivity
a positive and engaging learning environment
active and collaborative learning
stimulating lessons
frequent feedback

What have we learned about teaching practices / learning experiences?

Take home messages:

first reflect on your TEACHING GOAL (TGs), write the LOs and identify the corresponding Bloom’s level
select teaching practices (learning techniques) that will allow learners to achieve the LOs. Always remember that learning occurs BY DOING, which means that learners will be able to DESCRIBE something if and only if they will have the chance to practice it; they will be able to APPLY a rule only after having applied themselves the rule, and that, in order to successfully practice the APPLICATION of the rule, they must remember the rule, they must have understood it and how it can be used for applications, and they must have seen examples of how to apply it.
There are many other practices that you may “naturally” incorporate in your approach to teaching and that will support:

interactions with learners and among learners
a positive and engaging learning environment
active and collaborative learning
engaging and stimulating lessons
feedback collection and provision

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Examples of supporting practices

Observational practice

Student action stimuli

Teacher action and planning

Start with�introductions

Have students�do recaps

Pay attention to�classroom environment

Learn students names�and use them

Introduce�physical exercises

Repeat questions aloud

Collect�instant feedback

Use blended�multimedia materials

Avoid�teaching alone

Assess prior knowledge

& mental models

Introduce challenges�or games

Plan short �relaxing breaks

Please note that this slide contains animations: boxes will appear on click. If you prefer not to have animations, remove them on your copy of the slides.

Here are examples of practices and behaviours supporting:

interactivity
a positive and engaging learning environment
active and collaborative learning
stimulating lessons
frequent feedback

Start your course with introductions (remember that Introductions set the stage for learning)
Pay attention on how you set up the learning environment (both in presence and online)
Introduce blended multimedia materials to create engaging activities
Collect instant feedback (this will discussed in session 4)
Let learners do recaps. Organise recap sessions at the end of lessons or at the beginning of the following ones where learners are actively involved. You may ask them to do the recaps.
When a learner ask a question, repeat the question to ensure you and all the other learners understood the question.
Introduce physical exercises / introduce short, relaxing breaks. In day-long training courses, you may introduce very short sessions of stretching (or even one mmoment meditation… for example by watching together this video (https://youtu.be/F6eFFCi12v8) and then doing 1 minute meditation together. You might feel ridiculous, but you have no idea of how learners appreciate these types of activities and how these create a relaxed climate in the class).
Introduce challenges or games. Before using gamification, it is though better to learn how to do it. Gamification can be a very powerful and engaging technique.
Never teach alone. Whenever possible… There are different models to teach together: you can alternate on topics or sessions. You can be the main trainer but have one or more helper in the classroom. With two or more trainers in the classroom, the class can be observed from different angles, it is easier to detect learners who are not comfortable or struggling or lagging behind. It is possible to provide one-to-one support without stopping the lesson flow. It is also important that trainers teaching together provide feedback to each other.
Assess prior knowledge and mental models to tailor the lesson on learners’ actual needs, to address misconceptions, to learn about your learners.
Learn learners names and use them.

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Challenge

Link teaching practices, Learning Outcomes and Bloom’s levels

⏰ 7 min

✏️ In groups. Identify the highest Bloom’s level supported by each technique.

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Motivation

Recolored Image by @Studiogstock at Freepik

Cropped Background by @kjpargeter at Freepik

Motivation

This session addresses one of the most critical factors in learning: motivation. Motivation represents the personal investment students make in reaching desired outcomes and directly influences the direction, intensity, persistence, and quality of their learning behaviors. Understanding motivation helps instructors create conditions that support student engagement and deep learning.

Notes:

Motivation is key to learning - Here we present teaching techniques to enhance motivation and avoid demotivation.

Motivation is personal and it is very difficult to work with demotivated learners.

Often, teachers cannot do much with deep lack of motivation. Here, we want to see what can trainers do to enhance motivation.

Ambrose, Susan A.; Bridges, Michael W.; DiPietro, Michele; Lovett, Marsha C.; Norman, Marie K.. How Learning Works: Seven Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching (p. 76). Wiley. Kindle Edition.

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Recall a motivating learning experience

Challenge

Silent reflection ⏰ 3 min + 3 min discussion

✏️ Write in the shared Doc about a motivating experience in your life (as a learner) and how it impacted you. Try also to explain what made it motivating.

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Motivation

Motivation is:

personal investment
to reach a desired outcome.

- Maehr & Meyer, 1997 -

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Motivation

Motivation is:

personal investment
to reach a desired outcome.

Learning results only from:

What students do
What students think

- Maehr & Meyer, 1997 -

- Herbert A. Simon - Nobel Laureate, one of the founders of the Cognitive Sciences -

A teacher can only try to influence

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Motivation

Motivation is:

personal investment
to reach a desired outcome.

Learning results only from:

What students do
What students think

Learning is

Determined
Directed
Sustained

- Maehr & Meyer, 1997 -

- Herbert A. Simon - Nobel Laureate, one of the founders of Cognitive Science -

A teacher can only try to influence

by motivation

- Ambrose et al, How Learning works, 2010 -

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GOALS

Motivation

Basic features of

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Social

Learning

Work�avoidant

GOALS

Motivation

Basic features of

Performance

Affective

Types of Goals

Students can hold various types of goals. Learning goals involve gaining competence and truly understanding what an activity teaches. Performance goals (both approach and avoidance) involve protecting self-image and projecting a positive reputation and public persona through normative standards (passing exams; appear intelligent; acquire recognition and praise). Work-avoidant goals involve finishing quickly with minimal effort. Social goals relate to making friends and connecting with others. Affective goals involve engaging in stimulating activity. When activities satisfy multiple goals simultaneously, motivation increases significantly.

Learners’ goals for themselves may differ from instructors’ goals for them
Powerful learning situation when goals of learners and teachers are aligned
Higher motivation when more than one goal satisfied

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Social

Learning

Work�avoidant

GOALS

Motivation

Basic features of

Value

(a goal’s importance)

Performance

Affective

Value

Value represents a goal's subjective importance and is one of two key features influencing motivation. Wigfield and Eccles identify three sources: Attainment value (satisfaction from mastery), Intrinsic value (satisfaction from doing the task itself), and Utility value (instrumental value toward other goals like career advancement). Students are motivated to pursue goals with high relative value. These sources often operate in combination and can reinforce each other over time.

Goal’s importance: The subjective value of a goal

Attainment value: satisfaction that one gains from mastery and accomplishment of a goal

Example: satisfaction from solving complex problems to demonstrate the ability to solve them

Intrinsic value: Satisfaction that one gains simply from doing the task

Example: satisfaction from writing a computer program that works.

Instrumental value: Degree to which an activity helps one accomplish other important goals = extrinsic rewards

Example: Praise, public recognition, an interesting career, a good salary, etc

Not necessarily conflicting source of value, potentially reinforcing

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Social

Learning

Work�avoidant

GOALS

Motivation

Basic features of

Value

(a goal’s importance)

Expectancy of�Self-Efficacy

Performance

Affective

Expectancy of Self-Efficacy

The second key feature is expectancy—students must believe they can successfully achieve a goal. This includes outcome expectancies (belief that specific actions, especially hard work - growth mindset - will bring about desired outcomes) and efficacy expectancies (belief in one's capability to execute necessary actions). Even if students value a goal highly, without positive expectations for success, they will not be motivated to engage. Past experiences and attributions for success or failure strongly influence these expectations.

---------

Although one must value a desired outcome in order to be motivated to pursue it, value alone is insufficient to motivate behavior. People are also motivated to pursue goals and outcomes that they believe they can successfully achieve. Conversely, if they do not expect to successfully achieve a desired goal or outcome, they will not be motivated to engage in the behaviors necessary to achieve it. Motivational theorists refer to these expectations as expectancies. Here we describe two forms of expectancies that help inform our understanding of motivated behavior.

Values alone insufficient to motivate behavior
Expectancies are the goals and outcomes that people believe they can achieve
Two necessary forms of expectancies

Outcome expectancies: The belief that specific actions will bring about a desired outcome
Efficacy expectancies: The belief that one is capable of identifying, organizing, initiating, and executing a course of action that will bring about a desired outcome

Learners’ expectation for success determined by prior experience in similar context
Highest motivation, effort and persistence of it among learners who attribute successful performance to a combination of ability and effort

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Zone of Proximal�Development

Vygotsky

Comfort

Zone

Zone of Proximal Development - Introduction

Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) connects directly to motivation through self-efficacy. The comfort zone represents what learners can already do independently. This concept helps us understand why appropriate challenge levels matter for motivation—tasks that are too easy don't promote growth, while tasks that are too difficult undermine self-efficacy.

Zone of Proximal Development is the gap between tasks a learner can complete independently and the more advanced challenges they can tackle with expert support.

This learning theory, developed by psychologist Lev Vygotsky, can be witnessed in a classroom environment or anywhere else where an individual has the potential to gain new abilities.

In other words, we need to endure some discomfort to learn something new, but if the discomfort is not bearable or even joyafull learning will not happen since learner can become demotivated.

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Zone of Proximal�Development

Vygotsky

Comfort

Zone

Cannot achieve�(out of reach)

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Zone of Proximal�Development

Vygotsky

ZPD = Self Efficacy

Comfort

Zone

Can achieve with support

Cannot achieve�(out of reach)

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Goal-directed �behavior

Leads to

Social

Learning

Work�avoidant

GOALS

Motivation

Basic features of

Value

(a goal’s importance)

Expectancy of�Self-Efficacy

Performance

Affective

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Goal-directed �behavior

Supports

Learning and �Performance

Leads to

Motivation

Value

(a goal’s importance)

Expectancy of�Self-Efficacy

Social

Learning

Work�avoidant

GOALS

Basic features of

Performance

Affective

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The learning environment

Impact on learning process

Current development level
Complex social dynamics
Emotional state
Intellectual climate

Instructor training, The Carpentries

Recolored Group of people by @pikisuperstar at Freepik

Principle P7: �Learning is impacted by course climate

The Learning Environment - Impact

The seventh principle of learning states that learning is impacted by course climate. The social, emotional, and intellectual climate of a course significantly affects motivation and learning. Students' current development level, the social dynamics of the class, their emotional state, and the intellectual climate all interact to create an environment that either supports or inhibits motivation. This environment represents a critical third dimension beyond value and expectancy.

The social, emotional, and intellectual climate of the course fundamentally impacts learning. This isn't just background context—it's a active force that shapes motivation. When students perceive the environment as hostile, unwelcoming, or unsupportive, their willingness to take intellectual risks, engage deeply, and persist through challenges diminishes significantly, regardless of other factors.

Here, it is important to explain in depth how the environment can influence learning.

It may be worth mentioning the “How learning works” principle of learning related to class climate :

"Students' current level of development interacts with the social, emotional, and intellectual climate of the course to impact learning" (Ambrose et al.2010. How learning works, chapter 6).

“The classroom environment we create can profoundly affect students’ learning, positively or negatively” (Lovett et al. How learning works, chapter 7)

What do we mean about this? To better understand, we should consider the following aspects:

discrimination issues and inclusivity
stereotypes
complex dynamics of a class
accessibility
mindset

All these aspects will influence the climate of a classroom.

To discuss the principle on class climate and some of the aspects listed above, please refer to Lovett et al. How Learning works Chapter 4. Reading the chapter before teaching this slide will be of great help.

Another set of materials that it is worth reading to better teach this slide is the Carpentries Instructor Training, Episode on Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility

(https://carpentries.github.io/instructor-training/09-eia/index.html)

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The learning environment

Key aspects to consider

Be careful with:

Stereotypes
Discrimination

Complex dynamics of a class

Instructor training, The Carpentries

Passport by @Atif Arshad at Freepik

The Learning Environment - Key Aspects

Instructors must be careful about stereotypes and discrimination, which can create unsupportive environments. The complex dynamics within a class—including power relationships, group interactions, and individual differences—all influence whether students perceive the environment as supportive. An unsupportive environment can undermine motivation even when students value goals and have positive expectancies, while a supportive environment can help compensate for challenges in value or expectancy.� To better understand, we should consider the following aspects:

discrimination issues and inclusivity
stereotypes
complex dynamics of a class

Examples of stereotypes: Providing extra or less support to groups of students based on the belief that, in certain disciplines, some groups are not very gifted whereas others are innately talented (e.g. women are not strong in the STEMs or Asians are good at math) represents a type of bias very difficult to detect and it is a subtle form of racial stereotype (see e.g., https://theconversation.com/asians-are-good-at-math-why-dressing-up-racism-as-a-compliment-just-doesnt-add-up-128731, https://www.hepg.org/her-home/issues/harvard-educational-review-volume-89,-issue-4/herarticle/asians-are-good-at-math-is-not-a-compliment)

About dismissive language: unaware usage of dismissive language (like “just”, “easy”, etc.) or of apparently “innocent” terms from the point of view of the “white heterosexual male” may be demotivating and / or offensive to certain minority groups (non white and / or non heterosexual and / or non male).

Complex dynamics in class: For example, a more experienced student want to answer all questions to show their knowledge, that can make insecure students even more shy to participate. Or some students have very specific questions about a topic, that could narrow down the discussion in a course. These things happen beyond our control and need to be observed and managed to minimize impact in the class dynamic.

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The learning environment

Key aspects to consider

Be careful with:

Stereotypes
Discrimination

Complex dynamics of a class

Attention to Inclusivity:

accessibility

Material
Venue
Teacher

Dyslexia
Color Blindness
Hearing difficult
Wheelchair
etc

Instructor training, The Carpentries

Coloring for Colorblindness

The Learning Environment - Inclusivity

Attention to inclusivity through accessibility is essential for creating a supportive environment. This includes considerations for dyslexia, color blindness, hearing difficulties, wheelchair access, and other needs. Accessibility extends to materials (using dyslexia-friendly fonts, colorblind-friendly palettes), venue (physical access), and teaching approaches. Failure to address these needs can make the environment unsupportive for some students, undermining their motivation and ability to learn.

We need to look at inclusivity in a very broad way. Some of them we mention before with avoiding act on stereotypes and be mindful to not be discriminative but also prevent this behaviour among students.

Along with it when we consider the venue it is ideal to check if it is accessible for everyone, people with variable accessibility needs.

Additionally to that we can think when preparing our materials about what would improve the experience of someone with Dyslexia or color blindness for example. IT is good practice to ask in a pre-course assessment if people have any special needs. If they need a sign language interpreter or if having a microphone is helpful so they hear you better for example. And all the experience is improved if you as a teacher create a very inclusive space and collaborate to make students comfortable to talk to you ans ask questions. In that sense, sometimes you will need to approach students closer, if they are shy to ask in front of everyone they are probably more open if you approach them personally. Just walk by, lower to their height and ask …. �Some hints for dyslexic friendly presentation: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/video-design-slides-for-people-with-dyslexia-a2158953-84d7-4894-8f6c-1c9968709041

Testing color friendliness for colorblind people: https://davidmathlogic.com/colorblind/#%23D81B60-%231E88E5-%23FFC107-%23004D40

___References__

All these aspects will influence the climate of a classroom.

To discuss Principle 6 and some of the aspects listed above, please refer to How Learning works Chapter 6. Reading the chapter before teaching this slide will be of great help.

Another set of materials that it is worth reading to better teach this slide is the Carpentries Instructor Training, Episode on Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility

(https://carpentries.github.io/instructor-training/09-eia/index.html)

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The learning environment

Key aspects to consider

Be careful with:

Stereotypes
Discrimination

Complex dynamics of a class

Attention to Inclusivity:

accessibility

Material
Venue
Teacher

Support a growth vs fixed mindset

Dyslexia
Color Blindness
Hearing difficult
Wheelchair
etc

Instructor training, The Carpentries

The Learning Environment - Growth Mindset

Preferring a growth mindset over a fixed mindset contributes to a supportive environment. When instructors communicate that ability can develop through effort rather than being fixed, students are more likely to attribute failures to controllable factors (effort, strategies) rather than stable traits ("I'm not smart enough"). This affects students' attributions for success and failure, which in turn influences their expectancies for future success and their motivation to persist.

Growth mindset

Regarding Growth and Fixed mindset, see: Dweck, C. S. (2012). Mindset: How You Can Fulfill Your Potential. Constable & Robinson Limited.

Someone with a growth mindset views intelligence, abilities, and talents as learnable and capable of improvement through effort. On the other hand, someone with a fixed mindset views those same traits as inherently stable and unchangeable over time.

Mindset is an outgrowth of the age-old nature vs. nurture debate (that is, how much of our ability and personality are hardwired into us, and how much is the result of how we’re raised?). Recent studies suggest nurture is more important than nature—that growing up in a safe, secure, and inspirational environment outweighs innate abilities and behaviors. Dweck agrees with this assessment: The crux of her argument in Mindset is that we can continue to improve throughout our lives by nurturing our growth, and that doing so far outweighs whatever natural talents we do or don’t possess.

I suggest that trainers have also a look at: https://www.shortform.com/summary/mindset-the-new-psychology-of-success-summary-carol-dweck?gclid=CjwKCAjwgr6TBhAGEiwA3aVuIfDQDR77RVaUfjyQVrmQQ5ELPCl5fjLlbnfSZ2RPbdwoObh6POrJzhoCkZkQAvD_BwE

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we are back at: ___h___

Break

10 min

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The 3 pillars of motivation

GOAL

Cropped Pillars illustration from @upklyak at Freepik

Motivation

Value

Environment

Expectancy

The 3 Pillars of Motivation

Value, expectancy, and environment are the three pillars supporting motivation, which rests on the foundation of goals. Like architectural pillars, if any one is weak or missing, the entire structure of motivation becomes unstable. Instructors have the ability to influence all three dimensions, and must attend to each to maximize student motivation. Neglecting any single dimension can substantially reduce motivation regardless of strengths in the other areas.

The three pillars of motivation are:

Subjective value of a goal
Expectations about one's ability to achieve a goal (Efficacy)
The context in which we learn

In order to have fully MOTIVATED learners, it is important that:

learners see the value
learner self-efficacy is high and
the environment is supportive

These concepts are well represented in the figure from “How Learning Works” (see later)

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The 3 pillars

Possible causes & effects in motivation

Rejecting

NOT supportive

Environment

High

Low

Supportive

Student self-efficacy

value

Redraw of graph from Ambrose, Susan A., et al. How Learning Works, John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2010.

Icons eyes, Evading, Rejecting, Defiant, Hopeless and Fragile available on Freepik. Artists in the notes.

The 3 Pillars - Framework Introduction

This framework shows how value and expectancy interact within both supportive and unsupportive environments to produce different motivational states. The vertical axis represents student self-efficacy (expectancy), ranging from low to high. The horizontal dimension shows environmental supportiveness. The eyes symbol represents whether students perceive value in the goal. This sets up a comprehensive model for understanding the range of student behaviors we observe.

Rejecting Behavior

When students have low value for a goal AND low expectations for success, they exhibit rejecting behavior in both supportive and unsupportive environments. They see goals as both unimportant and undoable. These students disengage from learning situations and may experience apathy, general passivity, alienation, or even anger if they perceive the environment as coercive. This pattern appears similar across environmental conditions because neither pillar of motivation is present.

Icons source and artist:

Red and blue eyes by Three musketeers on freepik: https://www.freepik.com/icon/single-handedly_16498602

Evading by Futuer on Freepik: https://www.freepik.com/icon/fire-exit_7242587#fromView=search&page=1&position=17&uuid=98d692c3-8f45-4a5a-a5cb-3387fcbb71d7

Rejecting by nangicon on Freepik: https://www.freepik.com/icon/rejected_10280541#fromView=search&page=1&position=41&uuid=64a17a70-77f7-46e5-8f0d-6374acce5267

Defiant by iconjam on Freepik: https://www.freepik.com/icon/phobia_18591756#fromView=search&page=1&position=25&uuid=6d64873f-1f0d-4eab-8a8f-94f716c8a5aa

Hopeless by Freepik: https://www.freepik.com/icon/depression_7145218#fromView=search&page=1&position=78&uuid=f71ee9e9-ca5f-462d-a4f3-d76321088b44

Fragile by Freepik :https://www.freepik.com/icon/lightweight_5611373#fromView=search&page=1&position=24&uuid=bdaca8e1-2a30-4db6-9026-f14c6f7932ce

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The 3 pillars

Possible causes & effects in motivation

Rejecting

Hopeless

Rejecting

Fragile

NOT supportive

Environment

High

Low

Supportive

Student self-efficacy

value

Redraw of graph from Ambrose, Susan A., et al. How Learning Works, John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2010.

Icons eyes, Evading, Rejecting, Defiant, Hopeless and Fragile available on Freepik. Artists in the notes.

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The 3 pillars

Possible causes & effects in motivation

Evading

Rejecting

Hopeless

Evading

Rejecting

Fragile

NOT supportive

Environment

High

Low

Supportive

Student self-efficacy

value

Redraw of graph from Ambrose, Susan A., et al. How Learning Works, John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2010.

Icons eyes, Evading, Rejecting, Defiant, Hopeless and Fragile available on Freepik. Artists in the notes.

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The 3 pillars

Possible causes & effects in motivation

Evading

Rejecting

Defiant

Hopeless

Evading

Rejecting

Fragile

NOT supportive

Environment

High

Low

Supportive

Student self-efficacy

value

Redraw of graph from Ambrose, Susan A., et al. How Learning Works, John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2010.

Icons eyes, Evading, Rejecting, Defiant, Hopeless and Fragile available on Freepik. Artists in the notes.

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The 3 pillars

Possible causes & effects in motivation

Motivated

Evading

Rejecting

Defiant

Hopeless

Evading

Rejecting

Fragile

NOT supportive

Environment

High

Low

Supportive

Student self-efficacy

value

Redraw of graph from Ambrose, Susan A., et al. How Learning Works, John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2010.

Icons eyes, Evading, Rejecting, Defiant, Hopeless and Fragile available on Freepik. Artists in the notes.

Motivated - Optimal State

When all three pillars align—students value the goal, have positive expectations for success, AND perceive a supportive environment—they demonstrate truly motivated behavior. These students seek to learn, integrate, and apply new knowledge. They view learning situations as opportunities to extend their understanding. This represents the optimal state we aim to create through instructional design. Notice that achieving this requires attention to all three dimensions: we must help students see value, build positive expectancies, and create supportive environments.

In conclusion: to have fully MOTIVATED learners, it is important that:

learners see the value
learner self-efficacy is high and
the environment is supportive

These concepts are well represented in the figure from “How Learning Works”

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Motivation

de

Recolored Image by @Studiogstock at Freepik

Cropped Background by @kjpargeter at Freepik

Pay attention to not desmotivate motivated students

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Challenge

Recall a demotivating learning experience

Silent reflection ⏰ 3 min

✏️ Write in the shared Doc about:

A demotivating experience in your life (as a learner)
How it impacted you

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Strategies�Improve motivation & Avoid demotivation

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Challenge (part 1)

Strategies to improve motivation

⏰ 5 min - in 3 groups

Read in the shared Doc the strategies to increase learner motivation & to not demotivate them.

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Challenge (part 2)

Strategies to improve motivation

⏰ 5min- in 3 groups

2. Each group picks one or more strategies in one of the three areas (value, expectancy, environment):

3. Think about a concrete example of what you could do / say to implement that strategy in the classroom

⏰ 10 min

For discussion with the class

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Discussion time!

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X Don'ts

Deliver long unidirectional lectures

Dive into technical discussions with one or two participants

Specially if complex or detailed

Pretend to know more than what you do�
Hinder autonomy

Einstein by Freepik

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X Don'ts

Use diminishing language or Feign surprise :

��

Say negative things about a technology or application

Just
Simply
Obviously

Don’t you know?
Really?
I can’t believe you don’t know “this”

E.g: Tell that using a particular technology is for losers

Diminishing language by Freepik

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✔Dos

Make prerequisites explicit

Still levels of knowledge will vary

Emphasize the growth mindset

What matters is the rate at which they are learning

Be mindful with words

Explaining negative perceptions
Correcting
Giving feedback

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✔Dos

Share anecdotes

mistakes that you have made
things you struggled to learn / do�

Be aware of the impostor syndrome�
Encourage pair programming and group work

Impostor by @eucalyp at Freepik

Pair programming by @juicy_fish at Freepik

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Photo by Courtney Hedger on Unsplash

Pics unless otherwise stated from undraw.co by CC0

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Next session warm-up

Read the Random Thoughts �[Reader view on the 7 principles of learning Book “How Learning Works” (Ambrose et al. 2010)]�

✏️ Write one question you have in the shared notes

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Resources

How learning works, Ambrose et al, 2010 , 2023

Understanding how we learn, Weinstein et al, 2019

Instructor training, The Carpentries

Website: https://carpentries.github.io/instructor-training/

Teaching Tech Together, Wilson, 2019

Book
Website: https://teachtogether.tech/