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Faculty and Student Motivation Faculty and Student Motivation

KFUPM Faculty PerspectivesKFUPM Faculty Perspectives

M.R.K. Krishna RaoM.R.K. Krishna RaoInformation and Computer Science DepartmentInformation and Computer Science Department

College of Computer Science and EngineeringCollege of Computer Science and Engineering

King Fahd University of Petroleum and MineralsKing Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals

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KFUPM FacultyKFUPM Faculty Perspectives Perspectives

Thank youThank you

Thank youThank you

Thank you!Thank you!

Over 100 faculty members responded within Over 100 faculty members responded within 40 hours.40 hours.

Highly motivated faculty!!Highly motivated faculty!!

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What is motivation?What is motivation?

You can take a horse to the water but you cannot You can take a horse to the water but you cannot force it to drinkforce it to drink It will drink only if it's thirsty It will drink only if it's thirsty So is the case with people. So is the case with people.

Whether it is to excel on a sports field or in the Whether it is to excel on a sports field or in the 'ivory tower' they must be motivated or driven to it, 'ivory tower' they must be motivated or driven to it, either by themselves or through external stimulus.either by themselves or through external stimulus.

Motivation is a means to reduce the gap between Motivation is a means to reduce the gap between one’s actual state and some desired state. one’s actual state and some desired state.

Extrinsic: to get a reward or to avoid punishmentExtrinsic: to get a reward or to avoid punishment Intrinsic: working without expecting a rewardIntrinsic: working without expecting a reward

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Why bother about motivation?Why bother about motivation?

Are we born with the self-motivation? Are we born with the self-motivation? Not reallyNot really

Motivation is a skill which Motivation is a skill which can and must be learntcan and must be learnt..

performance =f(ability, motivation) performance =f(ability, motivation)

Ability depends on education, experience and Ability depends on education, experience and training training Its improvement is a slow and long process. Its improvement is a slow and long process.

On the other hand, motivation can be improved On the other hand, motivation can be improved quickly. quickly.

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Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (1943)Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (1943)

1.1. Generativity and Self Actualization (doing Generativity and Self Actualization (doing things)things)

2.2. Esteem Needs (internal ones like self respect, Esteem Needs (internal ones like self respect, autonomy, achievement and external ones like autonomy, achievement and external ones like status, recognition, attention)status, recognition, attention)

3.3. Belongingness (affection, belonging, Belongingness (affection, belonging, acceptance, friendship)acceptance, friendship)

4.4. Safety (security, protection from physical and Safety (security, protection from physical and emotional harm)emotional harm)

5.5. Physiological Needs (hunger, thirst, shelter, Physiological Needs (hunger, thirst, shelter, etc.)etc.)

http://http://psychclassics.asu.edu/Maslow/motivation.htmpsychclassics.asu.edu/Maslow/motivation.htm

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Maslow’s hierarchy of needs…Maslow’s hierarchy of needs…

1.1. Self Actualization Self Actualization

2.2. Esteem NeedsEsteem Needs

3.3. BelongingnessBelongingness

4.4. SafetySafety

5.5. Physiological NeedsPhysiological Needs

As the lower needs are satisfied, higher level As the lower needs are satisfied, higher level needs become more importantneeds become more important

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Question 1 – self-satisfactionQuestion 1 – self-satisfaction

Assessing the highest need in Marlow’s Assessing the highest need in Marlow’s hierarchy of hierarchy of needs, self actualization.needs, self actualization.

Over 80% of the faculty strongly agree that they are Over 80% of the faculty strongly agree that they are motivated to excel in their work by the self-satisfaction and motivated to excel in their work by the self-satisfaction and love for the profession.love for the profession.

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Question 1

No response

Strong A

Agree

Disagree

Strong D

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Question 2 – intellectual challengeQuestion 2 – intellectual challenge

Again assessing Again assessing self actualization.self actualization. Filling the gap between (a) the challenges we Filling the gap between (a) the challenges we

face and (b) the skills we possess face and (b) the skills we possess Over 50% strongly agreeOver 50% strongly agree

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Question 2

No response

Strong A

Agree

Disagree

Strong D

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Question 3 – esteem needsQuestion 3 – esteem needs

Assessing the 2Assessing the 2ndnd level in Marlow’s level in Marlow’s.. Baffled many – I should have explained.Baffled many – I should have explained. About 70% agreed.About 70% agreed.

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Question 3

No response

Strong A

Agree

Disagree

Strong D

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Question 4 – new ideas and recognitionQuestion 4 – new ideas and recognition

Again assessing the 2Again assessing the 2ndnd level level.. New ideas and possible world-wide recognition New ideas and possible world-wide recognition

motivate 75% of the faculty.motivate 75% of the faculty.

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Question 4

No response

Strong A

Agree

Disagree

Strong D

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Question 5 – Motivated students Question 5 – Motivated students

Assessing the Assessing the belongingness belongingness need need.. Over 75% of the faculty said that Over 75% of the faculty said that they value they value

motivated students and many made interesting motivated students and many made interesting suggestions on enhancing the motivationsuggestions on enhancing the motivation

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Question 5

No response

Strong A

Agree

Disagree

Strong D

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Question 6 – Institutional supportQuestion 6 – Institutional support

Assessing the Assessing the belongingness and safetybelongingness and safety needs needs.. About 75% of the faculty said that About 75% of the faculty said that they value the they value the

facilities and other support provided by KFUPMfacilities and other support provided by KFUPM

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Question 6

No response

Strong A

Agree

Disagree

Strong D

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Question 7 – Promotion / increment Question 7 – Promotion / increment

The The two lower (safety and physiological) needs .two lower (safety and physiological) needs . Lowest total of strongly agree and agreeLowest total of strongly agree and agree Some noises about salaries in other countriesSome noises about salaries in other countries

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Question 7

No response

Strong A

Agree

Disagree

Strong D

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Student Motivation LevelsStudent Motivation Levels

Most of the faculty felt that less than 20% of our Most of the faculty felt that less than 20% of our students are highly motivated – expected students are highly motivated – expected

60% of students are performing upto their potential60% of students are performing upto their potential I feel at least there is scope for improving 60%I feel at least there is scope for improving 60%

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Highly motivated Hard working Below Potential

< 10%

10-20%

20-30%

30-40%

40-50%

50-60%

60-70%

70-80%

80-90%

> 90%

No response

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Student motivation 1: Staff development Student motivation 1: Staff development

80% of the faculty agree that 80% of the faculty agree that staff development is staff development is importantimportant

DAD should continue with workshops in SeptDAD should continue with workshops in Sept

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Question 1

No response

Strong A

Agree

Disagree

Strong D

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Stud. motivation 2: Stud. motivation 2: Integrated curriculum Integrated curriculum

About 2/3 of the faculty place great emphasis on About 2/3 of the faculty place great emphasis on integrated curriculum addressing various levels integrated curriculum addressing various levels of cognitive skills in Bloom’s taxonomy - ABETof cognitive skills in Bloom’s taxonomy - ABET

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Question 2

No response

Strong A

Agree

Disagree

Strong D

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Student motivation 3: Student motivation 3: Language skillsLanguage skills

Our faculty is most passionate about these skillsOur faculty is most passionate about these skills 90% agreeing90% agreeing Many comments in question 8Many comments in question 8

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70

Question 3

No response

Strong A

Agree

Disagree

Strong D

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Stud. motivation 4: Stud. motivation 4: better assessmentbetter assessment

Assessment techniques like performance tasks Assessment techniques like performance tasks and projects that model real world problems and projects that model real world problems Needs further investigation to adopt themNeeds further investigation to adopt them

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Question 1

No response

Strong A

Agree

Disagree

Strong D

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Stud. Motivat. 5: Stud. Motivat. 5: employer community employer community

Work with industry and other employer community in Work with industry and other employer community in designing the curriculum so that the skills and designing the curriculum so that the skills and techniques needed at work are given more emphasis in techniques needed at work are given more emphasis in our programs our programs

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Question 5

No response

Strong A

Agree

Disagree

Strong D

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Student motivation 6: Student motivation 6: student involvement student involvement in material selectionin material selection

Least number of strongly-agree responses Least number of strongly-agree responses Concerns about student maturityConcerns about student maturity Power of student evaluationPower of student evaluation

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Question 6

No response

Strong A

Agree

Disagree

Strong D

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Student motivation 7: Student motivation 7: Online materialOnline material

Least number of strongly-agree responses Least number of strongly-agree responses Security concerns – Maslow’s safetySecurity concerns – Maslow’s safety

Yet, 60% see it useful as supporting material!Yet, 60% see it useful as supporting material!

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Question 7

No response

Strong A

Agree

Disagree

Strong D

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ConclusionsConclusions

Faculty and student motivation levels at KFUPM Faculty and student motivation levels at KFUPM are comparable to those levels at other good are comparable to those levels at other good universities across the globeuniversities across the globe

Both faculty and students enthusiastically Both faculty and students enthusiastically participated in the surveys participated in the surveys Over 100 responses from faculty members within Over 100 responses from faculty members within

40 hours – really commendable40 hours – really commendable Improve the reading skills of our students Improve the reading skills of our students Faculty development workshops on topics like Faculty development workshops on topics like

critical thinking and active learningcritical thinking and active learning Work closely with industry and employer Work closely with industry and employer

community community

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Recommendations – Stud. MotivationRecommendations – Stud. Motivation

Send our students to spend a semester or two at Send our students to spend a semester or two at a foreign universitya foreign university Develops interpersonal skillsDevelops interpersonal skills

Major 2 exams should be scheduled to finish in a Major 2 exams should be scheduled to finish in a short period short period Free mind is an important asset Free mind is an important asset

Tutorial session for courses with no lab comp.Tutorial session for courses with no lab comp. Reduce office hours to 5Reduce office hours to 5 Introduce active learning techniquesIntroduce active learning techniques

Extra-curricular activities Extra-curricular activities Sporting activities beyond PE course work Sporting activities beyond PE course work

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Recommendations – Fac. MotivationRecommendations – Fac. Motivation

Salary surveySalary survey Faculty contracts for longer periods, 3 or 4 yearsFaculty contracts for longer periods, 3 or 4 years

After the first renewalAfter the first renewal

Get-togethers / surveys to get faculty feedbackGet-togethers / surveys to get faculty feedback Sense of belongingSense of belonging Issues / concerns addressed quicklyIssues / concerns addressed quickly

Enjoyable and productive committee work Enjoyable and productive committee work Membership in no more than 3 or 4 committeesMembership in no more than 3 or 4 committees Committees with at most 6-8 membersCommittees with at most 6-8 members Committee recommendations acted uponCommittee recommendations acted upon

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Recommendations – Fac. MotivationRecommendations – Fac. Motivation

Examination center to release faculty members Examination center to release faculty members from mundane invigilation duty from mundane invigilation duty

Gardens and walkways with overhead covers Gardens and walkways with overhead covers Frequent college-level meetings with free foodFrequent college-level meetings with free food Encourage quality researchEncourage quality research

Emphasis on quality not quantityEmphasis on quality not quantity Discourage publications in low quality (money Discourage publications in low quality (money

making) conferences and journalsmaking) conferences and journals

• They publish if registration fee is paidThey publish if registration fee is paid

• Saw a journal paper with mistakes in the first 5 Saw a journal paper with mistakes in the first 5 words!words!

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Faculty MotivationFaculty Motivation

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Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q7

No response

Strong A

Agree

Disagree

Strong D

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Student MotivationStudent Motivation

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Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q7

No response

Strong A

Agree

Disagree

Strong D