HCI 2014 PW WR Chng Shi Hong, Brian

Contents of chapter 3
3.1 The Case Study
3.2 The <Challenge>
3.2.1 Features of the <Challenge>
3.2.2 Strengths
3.3 Feedback on the <challenge>
3.4 Working on Suggestions and feedback











HCI 2014 PW WR Chng Shi Hong, Brian
3.1 The Case Study
We aim to plug the gap on the low motivation of students towards CCE. To deal with
this, we researched on what would motivate students to learn about CCE. A study by
Larry Ferlazzo, a high school teacher that has written many books on teaching
strategies, has given us much insight on motivating students towards learning.
1

Learning points:
1. Establish high expectations: Ensure that students are adequately
challenged to perform a task within their abilities. This will help motivate
students since they are doing things that are not under their abilities.
2. Risk-tolerant learning: Students need to understand that making mistakes
are acceptable and we should learn from them. Students need to be brave
and admit their mistakes, for example, when they are dishonest, and reflect
on them.
3. Give feedback on the process: Students need to understand why doing
certain actions are ethical instead of knowing that some acts are ethical. This
allows students to have growth mindset and will be motivated to further their
character.

These learning points inspired us to come up with a <Challenge> system to motivate
students to learn in CCE.


1
Larry Ferlazzo. "Classroom Strategies to Foster a Growth Mindset." October 15, 2012.
http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/classroom_qa_with_larry_ferlazzo/2012/10/response_classroom_strategie
s_to_foster_a_growth_mindset.html
HCI 2014 PW WR Chng Shi Hong, Brian
3.2 The <Challenge>
Simply learning about the concepts of CCE is under the abilities of the
students, so the <Challenge> would encourage students to actualise what they have
learnt in CCE. By performing the values students learn in CCE, interest in CCE
would be piqued, since they can experience the importance of good character first-
hand. This is similar to having practical lessons in a science class having students
apply their skills can interest them in the subject.
2

The <Challenge> comprises of 2 stages:
1. Getting <Challenged>
2. Show-And-Tell segment














2
Ganeshini D/O Sri Kanthan. "Strengthening student engagement in the classroom." (2011):
http://www.math.nus.edu.sg/aslaksen/projects/Ganeshini.pdf
HCI 2014 PW WR Chng Shi Hong, Brian
3.2.1 Features of the <Challenge>
a) Getting <Challenged>
After teaching on a particular theme of CCE, teachers would request students
to actually challenge one another to do put what they have learnt into reality.
Students can be grouped into pairs, where each student would challenge the other in
the pair. Fig X shows some challenges that students can use depending on the CCE
topic.
It is also important to offer small rewards to students as it acts as a form of
extrinsic motivation to reinforce this positive behaviour.
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These rewards can range
having a slightly longer recess or even a small sticker.
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CCE Topic Sample challenges
Resilience 1. Stand up for something right!
2. Complete all your homework 1 day before the
deadline

Respect 1. Thank somebody who is always helping you
2. Give your utmost attention to a lesson/speech
you find absolutely boring

Care 1. Spend your weekend with your family
2. Make a new friend

Citizenship 1. Help throw away 10 different litter objects in
your neighbourhood
2. Volunteer for a CIP of your choice

Responsibility 1. Make your bed for a week
2. Wash your utensils after your meals for a
week
3. Help out with chores at home

Fig X: Sample challenges that students can use

3
About Parenting. "How to Use Rewards to Encourage Your Teen's Good Behavior." Accessed
September 9, 2014. http://parentingteens.about.com/od/behavioranddiscipline/fl/How-to-Use-Rewards-to-
Encourage-Your-Teens-Good-Behavior.htm
4
Beth Lewis,. "Free and Effective Classroom Rewards." About Education.
http://k6educators.about.com/od/classroommanagement/a/simplerewards.htm
HCI 2014 PW WR Chng Shi Hong, Brian
The challenge establishes the high expectation that students actually perform
their tasks. It allows the learning of CCE to not only be theoretical, but also be
realistic.
By applying what students learn, students would find CCE more meaningful
and hence, be motivated in their learning of CCE.
The idea of challenging a classmate is inspired from the concept of Positive
Competition
5
, where students would be motivated and try their best to excel their
classmates via this friendly competition












5
Margaret M. Clifford, "Effects of Competition as a Motivational Technique in the Classroom." American
Educational Research Journal (1972)
HCI 2014 PW WR Chng Shi Hong, Brian
b) Show-N-Tell
After completing the challenge, the student will need to talk about how he/she
managed to accomplish the task. This Show-N-Tell would be done during
curriculum time and students would be expected to share what they have learnt in
the process of completing their tasks. Fig Y is a set of guidelines for students
speech.
Questions
What -did you do?
-did you learn?

Where -did you do it?
-do you think you might have gone wrong?

When -did you do it?

Who -do you think benefited through what you did?

How -did you go about it? Discuss your thought processes as you did it
-can you do it better?

Why -do you think what you did was meaningful?
-did you not perform the task on a daily basis before the challenge?

Fig Y: An excerpt from the guidelines for the Show-N-Tell
By having students talk about their experience during the challenge, students
would be able to reflect and discover potential mistakes they have made. For
example, they might have hesitated before asking someone to give up their seat to a
needy person on a bus or have not shown gratitude to a cleaner before the
challenge. By identifying them, students can learn from it and become more sensitive
to them in the future.
After the speech, the teacher or students should give compliments and
comments on how they think they can do better next time on how to foster a habit
These questions would help
students reflect on the
challenge and ensure they
learn from it.
HCI 2014 PW WR Chng Shi Hong, Brian
of, for example, helping out with chores or being more sincere towards friends and
family.
This creates a learning community in the classroom where interactions
between students will create motivations, supported by Wilbert J. McKeachie, retired
president of the American Psychologist Association.
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By rewarding efforts publicly through acknowledging the efforts of the student,
students are more motivated to commit to learning
7

Besides critique from classmates, self-critique is a better motivator as
students feel more in-charge of their own objectives. Hence by identifying their own
strengths and possible weaknesses, students are able to work on themselves and
become motivated.










6
Center for Excellence in Teaching (CET). "Motivating Your Students." University of Sourthern California. n.d.
http://cet.usc.edu/resources/teaching_learning/docs/teaching_nuggets_docs/2.4_Motivating_your_Students.
pdf
7
ibid
HCI 2014 PW WR Chng Shi Hong, Brian
3.2.2 Strengths of the <Challenge>
By having students to challenge one another, students would be motivated to
complete the challenge. We know that challenging others can motivate them due to
the runaway success of the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Ice bucket
challenge, where people were actually motivated to complete the challenge because
they were challenged by their peers, as supported by a Times magazine article.
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The idea of the <Challenge> is to establish high but attainable expectations
and this is done through challenging students to apply what they have learnt,
creating motivation.
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As applicable learning is seldom touched upon by students, it
would be a higher standard as compared to just learning from the classroom but is
attainable. Students like to be challenged and will push themselves to reach their
goals
10

The Show-N-Tell segment creates a risk-tolerant learning environment since
students are encouraged to talk about their experience during the challenge. Also, it
helps student reflect and gain feedback on the process, and hopefully do better next
time. This serves to motivate students to continue applying the concepts they have
learnt in CCE in real-life.
Not only does challenging others after completing the task incentivize the
completion of the challenge, it also helps in sustaining the movement to actualise
CCE concepts through students enthusiasm. The aim of positive competition here is
to generate intrinsic motivation within students to direct their own learning, through

8
Justin Worland,. "ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Donations Just Topped $100 Million." August 29, 2014. Time
magazine.
9
Anthony D. Fredericks. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Success as a Teacher. Penguin, 2005.
10
TeachThought. "21 Simple Ideas To Improve Student Motivation." November 12, 2012.
http://www.teachthought.com/teaching/21-simple-ideas-to-improve-student-motivatio/

HCI 2014 PW WR Chng Shi Hong, Brian
experience via the <Challenge>. However intrinsic motivation is a relatively long-
drawn process, and would be difficult to kickstart without short term measures.
Hence, extrinsic motivators are important at the start whereby teachers and their
own classmates give compliments for the students efforts.