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Beware of the Trap—Sometimes, however, instructors look at their students in trouble and get too easily
convinced that these students are going to fail. The discouraged students discourage their instructors.
The key to encouraging them is to determine whether in fact they can succeed given their level of
preparation and the time remaining in the course. If you conclude they can succeed, then vividly recall those
who have made it in the past, look these present students in the eye, and tell them soberly and confidently that
they can make it. When you know yourself that it’s true, you can often help students believe it.
Expect that Results Produce Rewards—Another serious problem is students believing that they can learn the
material but that they won't be rewarded with things of value to them. This problem relates to the second
principle of expectancy value theory.
Good grades are very important rewards to most students. If they believe their instructor won't reward
honest accomplishment with good grades, they are likely to quit trying. Often they believe that the tests are
unfair and that the teacher’s grading standards are too severe. Some instructors in our Nursing Department
conduct an item analysis on each test, identifying poor test items and eliminating them from the grading. They
share what they are doing with their students, and students are encouraged that the testing/grading system is
fair.
Students want their work and the course content to have some value after the course is over. Far too
often, instructors just teach the subject and don’t relate it to financial, social, intellectual, personal, altruistic,
legal, and other situations outside the classroom. Students are encouraged to hear: "At this point in time, this
bit of information will allow you to... ."
Share knowledge and skills to come later in the course. Expectancy value theory holds that people are
future-oriented. It is important that students expect the coming weeks to contain interesting, valuable material.
You can do this by giving "previews of coming attractions," describing forthcoming topics in an interesting way,
writing your syllabus of assignments so that the wording promises rewarding information. When certain
material seems both dull and useless in itself, acknowledge its dullness and the amount of time and effort it will
take to learn it. Then explain why it is important to spend that time and effort.
Expect that the Rewards are Valuable—Finally, it's not called expectancy value theory for nothing. Until now
I've been assuming that people value all the rewards they get from learning. But they don’t always. When
people value something, they consider it important, attractive, significant, and desirable. When people don’t
value something, they think it is trivial, unrelated to their deeper desires, and generally unimportant.
Have students identify the rewards they will value in the future; then have them identify the knowledge
that will produce these rewards—both serious and fun. As well, connect the course material to your own
values. Too often, we instructors look out at a sea of bored faces and teach the same material year after year.
We gradually become convinced that the material is not valuable or interesting, and our belief shows in our tone
of voice and body language.
Encourage Students Before It’s Too Late—Teachers should employ preventive medicine. Boosting students’
beliefs that hard work leads to academic success and helps them attain the things they value does pay off.
Don’t wait until students are in academic trouble to provide that boost!
Dan Hodges
Coordinator of Testing
Abstracted and edited with permission from Focus, No. 13, Winter 1985.
For further information, contact the author at Lane Community College, Testing Office, 4000 East 30th Avenue,
Eugene, Oregon 97405.
Suanne D. Roueche, Editor
May 2, 1986, Vol. VIII, No. 14
INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development, EDB 348, The University of Texas at Austin,
Austin, Texas 78712, (512) 471-7545. Subscriptions are available to nonconsortium members for $35 per year. Funding in part by the W. K. Kellogg
Foundation and Sid W. Richardson Foundation. Issued weekly when classes are in session during fall and spring terms and monthly during the summer.
© The University of Texas at Austin, 1986
Further duplication is permitted only by MEMBER institutions for their own personnel. ' ISSN 0199-106X
convinced that these students are going to fail. The discouraged students discourage their instructors.
The key to encouraging them is to determine whether in fact they can succeed given their level of
preparation and the time remaining in the course. If you conclude they can succeed, then vividly recall those
who have made it in the past, look these present students in the eye, and tell them soberly and confidently that
they can make it. When you know yourself that it’s true, you can often help students believe it.
Expect that Results Produce Rewards—Another serious problem is students believing that they can learn the
material but that they won't be rewarded with things of value to them. This problem relates to the second
principle of expectancy value theory.
Good grades are very important rewards to most students. If they believe their instructor won't reward
honest accomplishment with good grades, they are likely to quit trying. Often they believe that the tests are
unfair and that the teacher’s grading standards are too severe. Some instructors in our Nursing Department
conduct an item analysis on each test, identifying poor test items and eliminating them from the grading. They
share what they are doing with their students, and students are encouraged that the testing/grading system is
fair.
Students want their work and the course content to have some value after the course is over. Far too
often, instructors just teach the subject and don’t relate it to financial, social, intellectual, personal, altruistic,
legal, and other situations outside the classroom. Students are encouraged to hear: "At this point in time, this
bit of information will allow you to... ."
Share knowledge and skills to come later in the course. Expectancy value theory holds that people are
future-oriented. It is important that students expect the coming weeks to contain interesting, valuable material.
You can do this by giving "previews of coming attractions," describing forthcoming topics in an interesting way,
writing your syllabus of assignments so that the wording promises rewarding information. When certain
material seems both dull and useless in itself, acknowledge its dullness and the amount of time and effort it will
take to learn it. Then explain why it is important to spend that time and effort.
Expect that the Rewards are Valuable—Finally, it's not called expectancy value theory for nothing. Until now
I've been assuming that people value all the rewards they get from learning. But they don’t always. When
people value something, they consider it important, attractive, significant, and desirable. When people don’t
value something, they think it is trivial, unrelated to their deeper desires, and generally unimportant.
Have students identify the rewards they will value in the future; then have them identify the knowledge
that will produce these rewards—both serious and fun. As well, connect the course material to your own
values. Too often, we instructors look out at a sea of bored faces and teach the same material year after year.
We gradually become convinced that the material is not valuable or interesting, and our belief shows in our tone
of voice and body language.
Encourage Students Before It’s Too Late—Teachers should employ preventive medicine. Boosting students’
beliefs that hard work leads to academic success and helps them attain the things they value does pay off.
Don’t wait until students are in academic trouble to provide that boost!
Dan Hodges
Coordinator of Testing
Abstracted and edited with permission from Focus, No. 13, Winter 1985.
For further information, contact the author at Lane Community College, Testing Office, 4000 East 30th Avenue,
Eugene, Oregon 97405.
Suanne D. Roueche, Editor
May 2, 1986, Vol. VIII, No. 14
INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development, EDB 348, The University of Texas at Austin,
Austin, Texas 78712, (512) 471-7545. Subscriptions are available to nonconsortium members for $35 per year. Funding in part by the W. K. Kellogg
Foundation and Sid W. Richardson Foundation. Issued weekly when classes are in session during fall and spring terms and monthly during the summer.
© The University of Texas at Austin, 1986
Further duplication is permitted only by MEMBER institutions for their own personnel. ' ISSN 0199-106X
Edited Text
Beware of the Trap—Sometimes, however, instructors look at their students in trouble and get too easily
convinced that these students are going to fail. The discouraged students discourage their instructors.
The key to encouraging them is to determine whether in fact they can succeed given their level of
preparation and the time remaining in the course. If you conclude they can succeed, then vividly recall those
who have made it in the past, look these present students in the eye, and tell them soberly and confidently that
they can make it. When you know yourself that it’s true, you can often help students believe it.
Expect that Results Produce Rewards—Another serious problem is students believing that they can learn the
material but that they won't be rewarded with things of value to them. This problem relates to the second
principle of expectancy value theory.
Good grades are very important rewards to most students. If they believe their instructor won't reward
honest accomplishment with good grades, they are likely to quit trying. Often they believe that the tests are
unfair and that the teacher’s grading standards are too severe. Some instructors in our Nursing Department
conduct an item analysis on each test, identifying poor test items and eliminating them from the grading. They
share what they are doing with their students, and students are encouraged that the testing/grading system is
fair.
Students want their work and the course content to have some value after the course is over. Far too
often, instructors just teach the subject and don’t relate it to financial, social, intellectual, personal, altruistic,
legal, and other situations outside the classroom. Students are encouraged to hear: "At this point in time, this
bit of information will allow you to... ."
Share knowledge and skills to come later in the course. Expectancy value theory holds that people are
future-oriented. It is important that students expect the coming weeks to contain interesting, valuable material.
You can do this by giving "previews of coming attractions," describing forthcoming topics in an interesting way,
writing your syllabus of assignments so that the wording promises rewarding information. When certain
material seems both dull and useless in itself, acknowledge its dullness and the amount of time and effort it will
take to learn it. Then explain why it is important to spend that time and effort.
Expect that the Rewards are Valuable—Finally, it's not called expectancy value theory for nothing. Until now
I've been assuming that people value all the rewards they get from learning. But they don’t always. When
people value something, they consider it important, attractive, significant, and desirable. When people don’t
value something, they think it is trivial, unrelated to their deeper desires, and generally unimportant.
Have students identify the rewards they will value in the future; then have them identify the knowledge
that will produce these rewards—both serious and fun. As well, connect the course material to your own
values. Too often, we instructors look out at a sea of bored faces and teach the same material year after year.
We gradually become convinced that the material is not valuable or interesting, and our belief shows in our tone
of voice and body language.
Encourage Students Before It’s Too Late—Teachers should employ preventive medicine. Boosting students’
beliefs that hard work leads to academic success and helps them attain the things they value does pay off.
Don’t wait until students are in academic trouble to provide that boost!
Dan Hodges
Coordinator of Testing
Abstracted and edited with permission from Focus, No. 13, Winter 1985.
For further information, contact the author at Lane Community College, Testing Office, 4000 East 30th Avenue,
Eugene, Oregon 97405.
Suanne D. Roueche, Editor
May 2, 1986, Vol. VIII, No. 14
INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development, EDB 348, The University of Texas at Austin,
Austin, Texas 78712, (512) 471-7545. Subscriptions are available to nonconsortium members for $35 per year. Funding in part by the W. K. Kellogg
Foundation and Sid W. Richardson Foundation. Issued weekly when classes are in session during fall and spring terms and monthly during the summer.
© The University of Texas at Austin, 1986
Further duplication is permitted only by MEMBER institutions for their own personnel. ' ISSN 0199-106X
convinced that these students are going to fail. The discouraged students discourage their instructors.
The key to encouraging them is to determine whether in fact they can succeed given their level of
preparation and the time remaining in the course. If you conclude they can succeed, then vividly recall those
who have made it in the past, look these present students in the eye, and tell them soberly and confidently that
they can make it. When you know yourself that it’s true, you can often help students believe it.
Expect that Results Produce Rewards—Another serious problem is students believing that they can learn the
material but that they won't be rewarded with things of value to them. This problem relates to the second
principle of expectancy value theory.
Good grades are very important rewards to most students. If they believe their instructor won't reward
honest accomplishment with good grades, they are likely to quit trying. Often they believe that the tests are
unfair and that the teacher’s grading standards are too severe. Some instructors in our Nursing Department
conduct an item analysis on each test, identifying poor test items and eliminating them from the grading. They
share what they are doing with their students, and students are encouraged that the testing/grading system is
fair.
Students want their work and the course content to have some value after the course is over. Far too
often, instructors just teach the subject and don’t relate it to financial, social, intellectual, personal, altruistic,
legal, and other situations outside the classroom. Students are encouraged to hear: "At this point in time, this
bit of information will allow you to... ."
Share knowledge and skills to come later in the course. Expectancy value theory holds that people are
future-oriented. It is important that students expect the coming weeks to contain interesting, valuable material.
You can do this by giving "previews of coming attractions," describing forthcoming topics in an interesting way,
writing your syllabus of assignments so that the wording promises rewarding information. When certain
material seems both dull and useless in itself, acknowledge its dullness and the amount of time and effort it will
take to learn it. Then explain why it is important to spend that time and effort.
Expect that the Rewards are Valuable—Finally, it's not called expectancy value theory for nothing. Until now
I've been assuming that people value all the rewards they get from learning. But they don’t always. When
people value something, they consider it important, attractive, significant, and desirable. When people don’t
value something, they think it is trivial, unrelated to their deeper desires, and generally unimportant.
Have students identify the rewards they will value in the future; then have them identify the knowledge
that will produce these rewards—both serious and fun. As well, connect the course material to your own
values. Too often, we instructors look out at a sea of bored faces and teach the same material year after year.
We gradually become convinced that the material is not valuable or interesting, and our belief shows in our tone
of voice and body language.
Encourage Students Before It’s Too Late—Teachers should employ preventive medicine. Boosting students’
beliefs that hard work leads to academic success and helps them attain the things they value does pay off.
Don’t wait until students are in academic trouble to provide that boost!
Dan Hodges
Coordinator of Testing
Abstracted and edited with permission from Focus, No. 13, Winter 1985.
For further information, contact the author at Lane Community College, Testing Office, 4000 East 30th Avenue,
Eugene, Oregon 97405.
Suanne D. Roueche, Editor
May 2, 1986, Vol. VIII, No. 14
INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development, EDB 348, The University of Texas at Austin,
Austin, Texas 78712, (512) 471-7545. Subscriptions are available to nonconsortium members for $35 per year. Funding in part by the W. K. Kellogg
Foundation and Sid W. Richardson Foundation. Issued weekly when classes are in session during fall and spring terms and monthly during the summer.
© The University of Texas at Austin, 1986
Further duplication is permitted only by MEMBER institutions for their own personnel. ' ISSN 0199-106X
convinced that these students are going to fail. The discouraged students discourage their instructors.
The key to encouraging them is to determine whether in fact they can succeed given their level of
preparation and the time remaining in the course. If you conclude they can succeed, then vividly recall those
who have made it in the past, look these present students in the eye, and tell them soberly and confidently that
they can make it. When you know yourself that it’s true, you can often help students believe it.
Expect that Results Produce Rewards—Another serious problem is students believing that they can learn the
material but that they won't be rewarded with things of value to them. This problem relates to the second
principle of expectancy value theory.
Good grades are very important rewards to most students. If they believe their instructor won't reward
honest accomplishment with good grades, they are likely to quit trying. Often they believe that the tests are
unfair and that the teacher’s grading standards are too severe. Some instructors in our Nursing Department
conduct an item analysis on each test, identifying poor test items and eliminating them from the grading. They
share what they are doing with their students, and students are encouraged that the testing/grading system is
fair.
Students want their work and the course content to have some value after the course is over. Far too
often, instructors just teach the subject and don’t relate it to financial, social, intellectual, personal, altruistic,
legal, and other situations outside the classroom. Students are encouraged to hear: "At this point in time, this
bit of information will allow you to... ."
Share knowledge and skills to come later in the course. Expectancy value theory holds that people are
future-oriented. It is important that students expect the coming weeks to contain interesting, valuable material.
You can do this by giving "previews of coming attractions," describing forthcoming topics in an interesting way,
writing your syllabus of assignments so that the wording promises rewarding information. When certain
material seems both dull and useless in itself, acknowledge its dullness and the amount of time and effort it will
take to learn it. Then explain why it is important to spend that time and effort.
Expect that the Rewards are Valuable—Finally, it's not called expectancy value theory for nothing. Until now
I've been assuming that people value all the rewards they get from learning. But they don’t always. When
people value something, they consider it important, attractive, significant, and desirable. When people don’t
value something, they think it is trivial, unrelated to their deeper desires, and generally unimportant.
Have students identify the rewards they will value in the future; then have them identify the knowledge
that will produce these rewards—both serious and fun. As well, connect the course material to your own
values. Too often, we instructors look out at a sea of bored faces and teach the same material year after year.
We gradually become convinced that the material is not valuable or interesting, and our belief shows in our tone
of voice and body language.
Encourage Students Before It’s Too Late—Teachers should employ preventive medicine. Boosting students’
beliefs that hard work leads to academic success and helps them attain the things they value does pay off.
Don’t wait until students are in academic trouble to provide that boost!
Dan Hodges
Coordinator of Testing
Abstracted and edited with permission from Focus, No. 13, Winter 1985.
For further information, contact the author at Lane Community College, Testing Office, 4000 East 30th Avenue,
Eugene, Oregon 97405.
Suanne D. Roueche, Editor
May 2, 1986, Vol. VIII, No. 14
INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development, EDB 348, The University of Texas at Austin,
Austin, Texas 78712, (512) 471-7545. Subscriptions are available to nonconsortium members for $35 per year. Funding in part by the W. K. Kellogg
Foundation and Sid W. Richardson Foundation. Issued weekly when classes are in session during fall and spring terms and monthly during the summer.
© The University of Texas at Austin, 1986
Further duplication is permitted only by MEMBER institutions for their own personnel. ' ISSN 0199-106X
convinced that these students are going to fail. The discouraged students discourage their instructors.
The key to encouraging them is to determine whether in fact they can succeed given their level of
preparation and the time remaining in the course. If you conclude they can succeed, then vividly recall those
who have made it in the past, look these present students in the eye, and tell them soberly and confidently that
they can make it. When you know yourself that it’s true, you can often help students believe it.
Expect that Results Produce Rewards—Another serious problem is students believing that they can learn the
material but that they won't be rewarded with things of value to them. This problem relates to the second
principle of expectancy value theory.
Good grades are very important rewards to most students. If they believe their instructor won't reward
honest accomplishment with good grades, they are likely to quit trying. Often they believe that the tests are
unfair and that the teacher’s grading standards are too severe. Some instructors in our Nursing Department
conduct an item analysis on each test, identifying poor test items and eliminating them from the grading. They
share what they are doing with their students, and students are encouraged that the testing/grading system is
fair.
Students want their work and the course content to have some value after the course is over. Far too
often, instructors just teach the subject and don’t relate it to financial, social, intellectual, personal, altruistic,
legal, and other situations outside the classroom. Students are encouraged to hear: "At this point in time, this
bit of information will allow you to... ."
Share knowledge and skills to come later in the course. Expectancy value theory holds that people are
future-oriented. It is important that students expect the coming weeks to contain interesting, valuable material.
You can do this by giving "previews of coming attractions," describing forthcoming topics in an interesting way,
writing your syllabus of assignments so that the wording promises rewarding information. When certain
material seems both dull and useless in itself, acknowledge its dullness and the amount of time and effort it will
take to learn it. Then explain why it is important to spend that time and effort.
Expect that the Rewards are Valuable—Finally, it's not called expectancy value theory for nothing. Until now
I've been assuming that people value all the rewards they get from learning. But they don’t always. When
people value something, they consider it important, attractive, significant, and desirable. When people don’t
value something, they think it is trivial, unrelated to their deeper desires, and generally unimportant.
Have students identify the rewards they will value in the future; then have them identify the knowledge
that will produce these rewards—both serious and fun. As well, connect the course material to your own
values. Too often, we instructors look out at a sea of bored faces and teach the same material year after year.
We gradually become convinced that the material is not valuable or interesting, and our belief shows in our tone
of voice and body language.
Encourage Students Before It’s Too Late—Teachers should employ preventive medicine. Boosting students’
beliefs that hard work leads to academic success and helps them attain the things they value does pay off.
Don’t wait until students are in academic trouble to provide that boost!
Dan Hodges
Coordinator of Testing
Abstracted and edited with permission from Focus, No. 13, Winter 1985.
For further information, contact the author at Lane Community College, Testing Office, 4000 East 30th Avenue,
Eugene, Oregon 97405.
Suanne D. Roueche, Editor
May 2, 1986, Vol. VIII, No. 14
INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development, EDB 348, The University of Texas at Austin,
Austin, Texas 78712, (512) 471-7545. Subscriptions are available to nonconsortium members for $35 per year. Funding in part by the W. K. Kellogg
Foundation and Sid W. Richardson Foundation. Issued weekly when classes are in session during fall and spring terms and monthly during the summer.
© The University of Texas at Austin, 1986
Further duplication is permitted only by MEMBER institutions for their own personnel. ' ISSN 0199-106X