6 motivational drivers that 'fire us up' and activate deep learning (Ch 6 Open)

Principles and values aren't enough, you need to have motivation for deep and powerful learning to happen (Price p107).

I have just reread and reflected on Chapter 6 of the powerful book  OPEN: How we'll work, live and learn in the future by David Price. I realize that the motivational drivers that Price refers to underpin my own continued engagement in deep learning.

Price emphasizes that these drivers don't rely on external incentives but are instead exclusively intrinsic (Price p108).

1. Do it yourself
2. Do it now
3. Do it with friends
4. Do unto others
5. Do it for fun
6. Do it for the world to see

1.Do it Yourself (Autonomy)

This is where self-determinism meets collaboration, accelerated by social networking tools (Price p109).

The online encyclopedia, Wikipedia is a good example. Individuals choose to share knowledge regardless of who they are. This is then critiqued or corrected by others and the world gratefully uses it at no cost.

I have chosen to make my own leadership and learning visible through my blog and Twitter. Nobody has asked me to do this. I am doing it myself.

2.Do it Now (Immediacy)

Learning is more powerful when it can solve an immediate problem. Price refers to this as 'Just-in-Time' learning. Finding information that provides a quick solution to a problem is more likely to be remembered than learning for the sake of learning or 'Just-in-Case' learning.

I liken this to typing a problem into 'google' and following the steps to solve it by watching a video and putting the new learning immediately into practice. 

3.Do it with Friends (Collegiality)

Learning in the Global learning commons is networked, linked-in and highly social compared with traditional, formal view of individual learning (Price p112). Twitter is now recognized as a primary source of professional development.  This embodies the 'knowledge lies within the group' message from (Annan) and 'use the group to change the group' (Fullan).

From video

4.Do unto Others (Generosity)

'Social learning thrives in a culture of service and wonder..' Conner 

We learn best when we do it with passion and purpose. Sharing and doing our learning for others provides a powerful motivation to learn (Price p116).

We need many ripples to form a tidal wave of positive change in education. I can either stand back and observe or I can be an active change agent and create some ripples myself.

From video

5.Do it for Fun (Playfulness)

Some of the greatest life skills we learn are achieved because of the pleasure and fun we enjoy along the way, for example, swimming and riding a bicycle.

Fun without challenge is unsatisfying. 'Hard fun' is something that all learning professionals should create. How can we harness the engagement, self-discipline and resilience, skills evident when playing video games into our schools? Learning to create my very first video using the Videoscribe programme was 'hard fun' for me but I persisted and have learnt many new skills along the way.

6.Do it for the World to See (High Visibility)

From video

We have all become journalists through digital technology such as blogging and tweeting. Public assessment of work is more powerful to students than a grade or a mark from their teacher. This has transformed our motivation to learn.
I share in my sabbatical report  and in my video that I was inspired to create my own blog and join Twitter through following the work of young learners in the Manaikalani network of schools in Auckland.

Finally, Price explains that the technology provides the tools, but it's the power of personal connections, informal learning and displaying generosity to one another, which creates the imperative to learn, and act, collaboratively (p122).

We need to seriously ask ourselves these questions: What do these motivational drivers mean for you and your own personal learning? How can we bring the richness and vibrancy of social learning into our educational settings?

What are we doing about this in Oamaru, North Otago?

We have been focusing on these drivers for some time now within our own school environment. Becoming part of a larger network of schools has helped to create a greater opportunity for collaboration on a larger scale. 

This week, we will be holding our first ever  Whitestone LCN Event.

I will be continuing to be 'fired up' by these drivers as I prepare to read 'Open Learning at Work' in Chapter 7 of OPEN: How we'll work, live and learn in the future by David Price and share my learning with you in my next review.