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Motivational Regulation – Strategies for Academic Motivation

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Motivational Regulation – Strategies for Academic Motivation

When students use self-consequenting, they identify and provide either extrinsic rewards for talk completion (“After I finish this paper I’ll go get ice cream”) or negative consequences that might occur after poor performance (“If I don’t finish this paper I can’t get ice cream”). These consequences can be long-term – students may remind themselves of what a failure or missed assignment means in terms of career opportunities. 

Value Regulation

When students use value regulation they attempt to enhance either the personal significance of the task or the situational interest. Students might connect the task to their personal values, identities, and preferences to enhance personal significance. E.g. “I want to become a doctor, and part of being a good doctor is turning in paperwork on time.” On the other hand, students might try to increase the situational interest of a boring or repetitive task by turning it into a game so that it is more enjoyable. E.g. “I’m trying to beat my last time for getting through this flashcard deck.”

Efficacy Enhancement

When students use efficacy enhancement strategies they use cognitive-behavioral strategies to or self-talk to enhance their self-efficacy and confidence. Perhaps not surprisingly, the first kind is the one I most often use and encourage students to use as well: breaking a large task into smaller, more attainable goals (“How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” is what I told myself last week when I felt I had perhaps bitten off more than I could chew at work, to extend the eating metaphor.). Efficacy enhancement can also involve positive self talk, e.g., “you can do this!”.

Environment Regulation

Students can monitor and control various aspects of their environment to help regulate their motivation. Again, this is one of the strategies that I most often recommend to students because it’s an opportunity to highlight classical and operant conditioning principles. These strategies can involve removing distractions, finding a quiet place, and forming a learning community. I recommend that students set up a dedicated study space where only studying happens. This space should be clean and pleasant so that studying is rewarded. As opposed to studying in spaces that are used for other things. This is my “don’t study at the kitchen table” rule, and often advice I give to older, non-traditional students who need to balance obligations at home with studying. 

While some strategies were more strongly associated with student outcomes, no one strategy emerged as the best. Overall, the strategies had only small positive correlations with academic achievement. As any student struggling with study motivation knows, the relationship between motivation and academic achievement is not always straightforward. You can want and desire to do well academically, but still struggle with motivation. Even with motivation it’s not guaranteed that you have the strategies and resources to do well. Motivation is just one piece of a complicated puzzle. Among these small correlations, performance-approach self-talk and efficacy enhancement were significantly stronger compared to performance-avoidance self-talk and situational interest.

When looking at effort, mastery-self talk had a significantly stronger, positive moderate correlation compared to the other strategies. In terms of competence beliefs there wasn’t much difference between the motivational regulation strategies, with all of the strategies having a significant low to moderate relationship with competence beliefs. However, among those efficacy enhancement had a significantly stronger relationship than self-consequenting. Similarly, all of the motivational regulation strategies had significant moderate positive relationships with value perceptions.

Within self-regulation, all of the motivational strategies had a significant moderate and positive relationship with cognitive regulation with efficacy enhancement and mastery self-talk performing the highest. In behavioral regulation, most of the strategies had a significant positive low to moderate relationship (except performance-avoidance which was not significant). Here efficacy enhancement performed the highest.

Overall, mastery self-talk, efficacy enhancement, and performance-approach self-talk tended to have the strongest relationships with student outcomes. Self-consequenting and performance-avoidance tended to have the weakest, or non-existent, relationship with student outcomes. While neither of these had negative relationships with outcomes, they are both potentially maladaptive strategies. Punishing yourself for not meeting your goals and working to avoid shame and humiliation may bring up unpleasant emotions and lead to procrastinating on a task. I would recommend not relying too heavily on these strategies for self-motivation.

I took away a few interesting points about academic motivation from this study. First, instead of finding the “best” motivational regulation strategy, the authors stressed the importance of meta-motivational awareness and developing a set of motivational regulation strategies. There’s no one right way to get motivated!

Second, the paper stressed the importance of motivational regulation strategies being conscious and effortful. If you find yourself struggling with motivation, know that it is not always automatic! Many students struggle with motivation. You can develop a set of motivational strategies to help manage your motivation.

Taking the data science path to a Master of Computer Science from Illinois

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Taking the data science path to a Master of Computer Science from Illinois

How Sreyashi Das upskilled her career while working for Netflix

Sreyashi Das is a 2022 graduate of the Master of Computer Science in Data Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). She’s a senior data engineer at Netflix who prepared to enhance her specialty by building her skills in this program that was recently named the #1 Best Online Master’s in Data Science Program by Fortune.

With computer science and data science flourishing, Sreyashi can look forward to a career full of potential. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), computer and information technology-related occupations are expected to grow faster than average between 2022 and 2032 [1]. The BLS also estimates the mean annual salary for data scientists is $119,040 [2].

Sreyashi’s pathway is one of two available in the program, as students can pursue either the Master of Computer Science (MCS) or the Master of Computer Science in Data Science (MCS-DS). When asked why she chose the MCS-DS, Sreyashi says that she worked closely with data scientists as a data engineer at Netflix and wanted to discover the impact of their data sets. She adds, “The diverse set of courses piqued my curiosity. I had heard great things from my friends that also took the program.”

Realizing that she could complete the program around her work schedule—and recognizing it was a good value for the cost of tuition—Sreyashi decided to apply. Once she was accepted and enrolled, Data Visualization and Data Mining soon became two of her favorite courses. She especially notes how she could relate what she was learning to her real-life experiences.

Looking back now, Sreyashi tells us, “The program had good course materials, the professors were great, and the fact that it was online gave me the flexibility I needed. The online learning environment gave me as much, if not more, than what I would’ve gotten in an on-campus program.” She continues by noting, “There are resources like Slack that allowed me to connect with other students taking the same courses. I was in study groups with people across the world and it provided a global experience and exposed me to different perspectives.”

After completing the MCS-DS, Sreyashi also has full appreciation for the help she received from university staff and the impact she’s made in her career. She says, “The graduate team really supported me throughout the whole program and gave me the confidence to finish. All of the coursework was relevant, and I was able to apply what I learned directly to my job.”

Sreyashi’s story is a great reminder that when you’re seeing interesting work done by others, you can learn how it’s done and find yourself in an exciting new career. If computer science or data science has captured your imagination too, check out the MCS and MCS-DS from UIUC today and consider the possibilities for your own career.

1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Outlook Handbook- Computer and Information Technology Occupations, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/home.htm.” Accessed June 20, 2024.

2. BLS. “Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes152051.htm.” Accessed June 20, 2024.

Learn more about the Master of Computer Science.

Teachers, How Do You Handle Classroom Conversations About Hot-Button Issues?

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What has worked? What has been difficult? We’d love to hear from educators at all levels and across subject areas.

Our 2024-25 Student Contest Calendar

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Ten challenges that invite teenagers to engage, experiment, reflect and create — via writing, photography, audio, video and more.

Word of the Day: defector

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This word has appeared in 38 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year. Can you use it in a sentence?

Sustainable Dining at Cotolettafs: Honoring Italy’s Culinary Heritage with Ethical Practices

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Sustainable Dining at Cotolettafs: Honoring Italy’s Culinary Heritage with Ethical Practices

Cotolettafs is not only dedicated to serving exceptional Italian cuisine but also committed to sustainable practices that respect the environment and support local communities. Situated in [Location], this renowned restaurant exemplifies how culinary excellence can be achieved while prioritizing ethical sourcing and responsible consumption.

From Farm to Table: Ethical Sourcing and Local Partnerships

At www.cotolettafs.com, sustainability begins with the sourcing of ingredients. The restaurant partners with local farmers, fishermen, and artisanal producers who share a commitment to sustainable practices. Fresh vegetables are sourced from nearby organic farms, ensuring that seasonal produce is not only flavorful but also minimizes environmental impact through reduced transportation. Seafood selections adhere to sustainable fishing practices, supporting marine conservation efforts and preserving ocean biodiversity.

Promoting Biodiversity: Embracing Local and Seasonal Ingredients

Cotolettafs celebrates Italy’s rich culinary heritage by prioritizing local and seasonal ingredients in its menu. From heirloom tomatoes grown in nearby vineyards to fragrant herbs harvested from the restaurant’s own garden, each ingredient reflects a dedication to preserving biodiversity and supporting agricultural traditions. By embracing the flavors of the season, Cotolettafs ensures that every dish is a tribute to Italy’s diverse landscapes and culinary diversity.

Reducing Food Waste: Innovation in the Kitchen

In addition to ethical sourcing, Cotolettafs takes proactive measure to minimize food waste within its operations. The restaurant’s chefs employ innovative techniques to utilize every part of the ingredient, from root to stem, ensuring that nothing goes to waste. Excess food is donated to local charities or repurposed into creative dishes that surprise and delight diners, showcasing the kitchen’s commitment to sustainability and culinary ingenuity.

Environmental Stewardship: Eco-Friendly Practices

Beyond the kitchen, Cotolettafs implements eco-friendly practices throughout its operations to reduce environmental footprint. The restaurant uses energy-efficient appliances, implements recycling programs, and prioritizes reusable and biodegradable packaging materials. Water conservation measures are also in place, with efforts to minimize water usage and promote responsible stewardship of this precious resource.

Community Engagement: Supporting Local Initiatives

Cotolettafs is deeply rooted in the local community, actively engaging in initiatives that support social responsibility and community development. The restaurant sponsors local events, participates in fundraisers for charitable causes, and collaborates with educational institutions to promote culinary arts and sustainability. By nurturing these partnerships, Cotolettafs strives to make a positive impact beyond its dining tables, fostering a stronger and more resilient community.

Conclusion: A Commitment to Excellence and Sustainability

In conclusion, Cotolettafs embodies the principles of excellence and sustainability in every aspect of its operations. From ethical ingredient sourcing to innovative culinary practices and community engagement, the restaurant sets a standard for responsible dining that honors Italy’s culinary heritage while safeguarding the planet for future generations. Join us at Cotolettafs, where dining sustainably is not just a choice but a celebration of Italy’s natural bounty and cultural legacy.

Project management is everywhere—but what does it mean?

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Project management is everywhere—but what does it mean?

This week we are talking about another highly transferable technical skill: project management.

We talked about project management when we discussed high-income skills, but as the term shows up more frequently during the job search, it’s worth spending a bit more time clarifying what it means. Depending on the context, “project management” can refer to either a career path or a skill set.

As a career path, project management refers to roles that guide projects from their earliest ideation stages through post-execution assessments. Associated job titles are project manager or program manager, with ‘coordinator’ titles typically indicating early-career roles and ‘director’ titles signifying more advanced roles. Another similar role could be product manager.

Naturally, people who work in project management are expected to have strong project management skills. However, this skill set is also highly desired across several career areas, including engineering, IT, business management and operations, human resources, finance, sales, marketing, hospitality, research, and the list goes on.

That’s right: project management, as a skill, is highly transferable.

That’s because project management is essentially a package of technical and workplace skills, many of which are in-demand in their own right. Put together, these skills describe someone who is able to start, execute, and complete assignments. Here are some:

  • Planning
  • Scheduling
  • Budgeting
  • Problem solving
  • Communication
  • Collaboration
  • Adaptability
  • Risk management

Having strong project management skills means that you are able to use many or all of these skills in concert with one another in order to move a project or a goal forward. To apply these skills to your field, think about the types of projects people in your field work on and what they need in order to succeed.

How can you build your project management skills?

You likely already have experience using at least some of these skills in an educational or professional setting. If you’ve ever completed a project, you have project management skills.

To strengthen your overall project management skills, acknowledge your strengths, then focus on enhancing the individual skills that you have less experience with. This way, if you’re discussing a project during an interview and your interviewer asks how you budgeted project funds, rather than just saying you haven’t worked on a project with a budget, you can supplement your answer with the work you’ve done in order to prepare yourself for future projects with budgets.

Here are some courses on Coursera to explore skills that fall under the project management umbrella:

Or if you want to build a more cohesive set of skills, try UC Irvine’s Project Management Principles and Practices Specialization or University of Illinois’s Business Value and Project Management Specialization.

Google’s Project Management: Professional Certificate and University of Colorado Boulder’s Project Management Specialization are also great options, however those are more geared toward learners who want to pursue a career in project management.

Finally, if several of these programs sound interesting to you, consider signing up for a Coursera Plus subscription, which gives you unlimited access to over 7,000 courses, projects, and certificate programs.

That’s all for this week. Before you go, tell us in the comments: What big projects are you working on right now?

ROI of Learning: How to Convince Your Board to Invest

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ROI of Learning: How to Convince Your Board to Invest

ROI (Return on Investment) quantifies the gains from a specific action or investment. Learning or training ROI measures the financial impact of learning and training initiatives. For instance, if your organisation invests $100 in your learning strategy and it leads to a $200 return, your learning ROI would be 200% (2:1). 

ROI can be used to justify the expense of a training course, compare one training course to another, and help establish training within an organisation. It’s a simple way to track training effectiveness and measure the value the learning helped create. Use past data metrics and projections to demonstrate the benefits of investing in learning. Highlighting the ROI your organisation will gain from upgraded technology can turn the prospective debate in your favour.

By calculating the learning ROI, you can demonstrate the impact of recommended learning initiatives and help shift the board’s perception from L&D (learning and development) being a cost centre to a revenue generator. You can drive home the point that ROI isn’t just about monetary profit; it can also refer to time saved or improved work quality. Suppose training reduces a task’s time by half for a team of 10 employees; that’s 520 hours saved annually!

However, measuring L&D ROI comes with its share of challenges. Quantifying intangible benefits such as improved employee performance can be difficult. In addition, your L&D strategies must align with business outcomes for effective measurement. Real-world instances where training positively impacted productivity, engagement, competency, and leadership can turn the tide in favour of optimal investment in learning and training initiatives. 

Provide your board with examples of successful corporate L&D programmes demonstrating how L&D strategies contribute to employee engagement, motivation, and overall organisational success.

Name of CompanyApproachImpact
YelpEveryone takes on stretch roles, which encourages personal growth and mentoringFosters an engaged workforce and facilitates internal promotions
PixarOffers required and optional training classes for different disciplinesEmployees continuously develop their skills and stay aligned with industry trends
AirbnbHosts “Fireside Chats” to emphasise learning, knowledge, and sharingA culture of continuous learning and professional development
EarlsThe “Visions + Goals” initiative helps employees create life visions and communicate personal goalsEmployees are empowered to be their best selves
EtsyFocus on personalised learning paths, allowing employees to tailor their developmentA thriving culture of creativity and skill-building

Applying the findings from L&D case studies to your organisation involves a strategic approach. Tailor the steps to your organisation’s unique needs and context:

  • Assessing Current L&D Initiatives – Objectively evaluate existing training programmes and their effectiveness and alignment with organisational goals to identify gaps or areas for improvement.
  • Setting Clear Objectives – Define specific goals for L&D initiatives: Are you aiming to improve productivity, reduce turnover, reduce business operational costs, or enhance customer satisfaction?
  • Collecting Data – Gather relevant data before and after training interventions using productivity metrics, employee engagement scores, or financial performance indicators.
  • Calculating ROI – Use the ROI formula: ROI = Net Benefits / Training Costs x 100. Net benefits include tangible (for example, increased revenue) and intangible gains (for example, improved employee morale).
  • Presenting to Decision-MakersCreate a compelling business case. Highlight how L&D investments directly impact financial outcomes. Use case studies and industry benchmarks to support your argument.
  • Improving Continuously – Review and adjust L&D strategies regularly based on feedback and results. Stay informed about industry trends and best practices.

Remember, when presenting to your board, emphasise financial gains and non-monetary benefits.

Despite the inevitable roadblocks your board will throw up, you can convince them to invest in tried-and-tested learning and training programs such as Alison’s Free Learning Management System (LMS)

Key points to consider include the fact that Alison provides certificate programmes that can officially recognise learners’ achievements. Integrating these certificates into your LMS can motivate your employees to complete courses and gain CPD-accredited certificates, potentially leading to improved performance and career growth.

In addition, our Free LMS provides analytics and reporting capabilities to track your learners’ progress and engagement. The resultant insights can help you assess the effectiveness of Alison’s courses within your LMS and make data-driven decisions to optimise your organisation’s learning experience.

Besides, Alison’s learning pathways and course recommendations can guide your employees on a learning journey aligned with their career aspirations. Integrating these pathways into your LMS can promote continuous learning and skill development, improving employee retention and performance.

Furthermore, utilising Alison’s Free LMS can significantly reduce training expenses compared to in-house training. It allows you to create courses, store and replicate training materials, quickly distribute them, and host training sessions and recordings that can be revisited whenever necessary. You can thereby eliminate the need to pay instructors to give the same lesson multiple times.

Finally, not only does Alison’s LMS come to you free of charge, but it can also save you equally valuable time and improve productivity. It enables efficient onboarding, automates administrative tasks, provides anytime learning accessibility, and allows quick access to information, reducing the time and resources required for training delivery and administration.

Suppose your board needs further evidence about how your proposed action plan will result in noteworthy cost savings. In that case, you can show them how Alison’s Free LMS eliminates expensive implementation fees compared to other LMS platforms. The resultant reduction in expenses allows your organisation to allocate precious resources toward meaningful training initiatives rather than administrative overheads.

Alison provides access to over 5,000 free courses covering various topics, from hard skills like technology to soft skills development. When you join our learning community,  these high-quality courses can help your organisation save the costs of creating its own training content or purchasing expensive third-party courses.

The Free LMS allows your organisation to onboard an unlimited number of employees onto the platform at no additional cost, ensuring equitable access to training resources for all team members without incurring exorbitant per-user fees, leading to substantial cost savings.

Investing in employee development through Alison’s Free LMS can improve employee retention. By upskilling and reskilling its employees, your organisation can reduce the costs associated with high turnover, such as recruitment, onboarding, and lost productivity.  

Quantifying and presenting estimated cost savings can help you strategically demonstrate the ROI of investing in Alison’s Free LMS. Use the key metrics below to calculate L&D ROI:  

1. User Engagement Metrics

  • Login Frequency: Monitor how often your employees log into the LMS to access courses and resources. Higher login rates indicate greater engagement and perceived value of the platform.
  • Course Completion Rates: Track the percentage of your employees who complete assigned courses. Strong competition rates suggest the content is engaging and relevant to their needs.

2. Learning Outcomes

  • Assessment Scores: Evaluate your learners’ knowledge gains through pre- and post-course assessments. Improved scores demonstrate the effectiveness of Alison’s courses in building skills.
  • Skill Acquisition Rates: Monitor the rate at which your employees acquire and apply new skills on the job. This review directly links the LMS to performance improvements.

3. Operational Efficiency

  • Time Savings: Quantify the time your employees save through on-demand access to training, reduced time spent in the classroom, and streamlined administrative processes.
  • Reduction in Support Tickets: Track the number of support tickets related to training issues. A decrease indicates the LMS is intuitive and reduces the burden on your L&D team.

4. Financial Metrics

  • Training Cost Savings: Calculate the savings from reduced instructor fees, travel expenses, and physical materials by leveraging Alison’s free courses.
  • Improved Employee Retention: Estimate the cost savings from reduced turnover and rehiring expenses due to better employee engagement and career growth opportunities provided by the LMS.

Adopting this data-driven approach will help you build a compelling case for investing in L&D to support your organisation’s training goals. With improved employee performance, engagement, and retention a very likely ROI, your board will be convinced that it would be a wise investment for your organisation. 

Word of the Day: exacting

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This word has appeared in 265 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year. Can you use it in a sentence?

‘A Voice Can Change You’: The Week 5 Winner of Our Summer Reading Contest

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In her 90-second video, Annie Ma, 14, explains how an essay by the singer Dessa hit home for her.