Motivating students with optimal challenge in an open learning environment

Social Sciences & Humanities Open, vol. 11, pp. 101577

Abstract

Educational programmes strive to bridge the gap between university and the labour market and to prepare students for their future work. Open learning environments (OLEs) mirror the demands of the labour market. Students learn in a self-directed way from ill-structured problems, which helps them to become prepared for their future work. The assumption of OLEs is that they generate motivation for learning because the perceived challenge level exceeds students' ability level. In the current study, we investigated to what extent an OLE contributed to students' perceived challenge, ability, and motivation for learning. A storyline method was used to gather data from three student cohorts of a honours programme. During the programme, students rated the learning activities based on how much they felt challenged, how able they felt to perform the tasks, and how motivated they felt. In addition, they explained their ratings. We found that students' motivation for learning was high although their ability level exceeded the challenge level. The assignments, work process, and group dynamics were determining factors for students’ motivation for learning, and are therefore important to consider in (co-)designing OLEs.

Authors 4

1. Janine Haenen corresponding Aachen

   Leiden University · The Hague University of Applied Sciences

   Affiliation as printed

   ICLON, Leiden University, the Netherlands

   The Hague University of Applied Sciences, the Netherlands

2. Sylvia Vink Aachen

   Leiden University · Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

   Affiliation as printed

   Faculty of Social Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands

   ICLON, Leiden University, the Netherlands

3. Ellen Sjoer

   The Hague University of Applied Sciences

   Affiliation as printed

   Sustainable Talent Development, The Hague University of Applied Sciences, the Netherlands

4. Wilfried Admiraal

   OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University

   Affiliation as printed

   Technology-Enhanced Teaching and Learning, Centre for the Study of Professions, Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway