RSVP

Design for Intrinsic Motivation

Mark Somerville, PhD 
Dean of the Faculty 
Professor of Electrical Engineering and Physics 
Olin College of Engineering 

Jon Stolk, PhD 
Professor of Materials Science and Engineering Education
Olin College of Engineering 

Overview:

How much influence do you, as an instructor, have over students’ motivational state? What factors influence student motivation? How does student motivation impact learning? And what strategies can you, as an instructor, employ to design experiences that are more motivating and more effective? In this interactive workshop we’ll explore frameworks for motivation, share research on student motivation in an engineering education context, and collaborate to translate theory and research to practice.

Learning Goals:

• Participants will become aware of their own assumptions about motivation, and how these relate to their assumptions about education.
• Participants will be able to describe different types of motivation and the relationship between types of motivation and educational outcomes.
• Participants will be able to describe factors that influence motivation, and how these relate to choices made in a classroom setting.
• Participants will be able to apply these ideas to the design or re-design of a classroom experience.

Biographies

Mark Somerville is Dean of Faculty and Professor of Electrical Engineering and Physics at Olin College. He joined Olin during the College’s startup phase in 2001. At Olin he has played significant roles in the design of the College’s curriculum, curriculum innovation structures, hiring strategy, faculty development, and faculty reappointment and promotion procedures. Dr. Somerville has also worked extensively on educational change efforts at other institutions around the world, and has collaborated with educational startups in fields ranging from engineering education to undergraduate liberal arts education to professional education.

Jonathan Stolk, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering Education, joined Olin College in 2001. At Olin he has been a leader in the development of innovative interdisciplinary undergraduate courses and curricula. Dr. Stolk’s research focuses on understanding the role of faculty in promoting lifelong learning, examining educational change processes in college settings, and investigating the effects of disciplinary integration and student autonomy on motivation and a broad range of learning outcomes. He has consulted with universities and other organizations around the world on educational design and educational change.