[Xmca-l] Re: Intrinsic / Extrinsic Motivation

[Andy Blunden]

Sounds like you might be interested in some of Anna 
Stetsenko's work at CUNY on what she calls the 
"Transformative Activist Stance."

Andy

------------------------------------------------------------
*Andy Blunden*
https://www.ethicalpolitics.org/ablunden/index.htm
On 27/08/2019 2:33 am, Lara Beaty wrote:
> Andy,
>
> I like the focus on particular activities that you 
> suggest. I have designed and teach a First Year Seminar in 
> Psychology in which I like to try out different activities 
> to see what will connect with different students, but I 
> still tend to be a little too abstract. It is a great 
> course for putting theory into practice! I talk with 
> students a lot about the object of college and find some 
> of them eager to engage in this conversation, but the more 
> vulnerable, less motivated students are not.
>
> For my research, I’ve explored a little the history of how 
> politicians speak about college and wondered how important 
> this might be to understanding student development. This 
> discussion has led me to think about how intrinsic 
> motivation or enjoyment or, for that matter, “development” 
> tends to be viewed as important only for upper classes—how 
> these concepts are cultural tools used to shape and 
> sustain inequality while appearing to be abstract and 
> neutral. The administration at my college loves Carol 
> Dweck’s concept of growth mindset but also wants to 
> control the direction of student growth, directing it away 
> from the political and rebellious.
>
> Most of my students have no real concept of what college 
> is, I suspect.
>
> Best,
> Lara
>
>> On Aug 26, 2019, at 3:29 AM, Andy Blunden 
>> <andyb@marxists.org <mailto:andyb@marxists.org>> wrote:
>>
>> Thanks for your very interesting observations, Lara.
>>
>> I'd like to suggest a way of seeing what is intrinsic to 
>> college education, of how and why joy can be derived from 
>> learning a fact of history, a principle of nursing, the 
>> novelty of a particular author, or whatever. What makes 
>> it enjoyable? What is specific about this pleasure which 
>> is distinct from the pleasure of watching a movie or 
>> playing a computer game?
>>
>> What is the object of College? At the lowest level of 
>> ethical development (above "Mum made me go!") it is the 
>> intention of gaining a job certificate for the welfare 
>> obtained by means of a wage.Instrumental from beginning 
>> to end. Nowadays, many governments conceive of colleges 
>> in a similarly instrumental way - to generate labour 
>> power to work in enterprises to generate profits. Few 
>> governments really understand the idea education in the 
>> humanities and sciences in the intention of raising the 
>> quality of social life.
>>
>> Likewise, it is anticipation of participating in projects 
>> in which they will take a real interest in their working 
>> life which offers the possibility of gaining intrinsic 
>> joy from learning about various facts, principles, 
>> methods, innovations, etc., so later to be able to 
>> further the profession, raise the quality of social life, 
>> improve the lives of ill people, etc. On both sides it 
>> implies a mature conception of what college is /for/.
>>
>> If that doesn't help, either they're not ready for 
>> college or the college is not offering something in which 
>> it is possible to get interested in.
>>
>> Andy
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>> *Andy Blunden*
>> https://www.ethicalpolitics.org/ablunden/index.htm
>> On 26/08/2019 3:33 am, Lara Beaty wrote:
>>> Hi All.
>>>
>>> ...
>>>
>>> When I’m teaching community college students, however, 
>>> the simplicity of the terms is a useful tool for helping 
>>> students think about why they are in college, given that 
>>> most of them have never been exposed in any significant 
>>> way to the idea of doing college for the simple purpose 
>>> of knowing more and creating possibilities for new ways 
>>> of thinking. I keep hoping to help them find some joy in 
>>> learning and development.
>>>
>>> Best,
>>> Lara
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
> Dr. Lara Margaret Beaty
> Professor of Psychology
> Psychology Program Co-Director
> SERG Director
> Social Science Department
> LaGuardia Community College, CUNY
> 718-482-5796
>
>
>
>
>
>
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