Motivation is core to a success plan for students, but that’s sometimes easier said than done. A lack of motivation can lead to slipping grades, poor attendance, and laziness, which is not only bad for your studies, but will mean you will struggle in your work (and personal) journey. Lecturers and support structures can help to reignite you, but – much like happiness – motivation is mostly an inside job within your personal control.

Motivation is an essential component of not only effective teaching and learning, but sustaining a happy career and personal life as an adult. It increases positive behaviour in everyone and contributes to a greater sense of well-being.

We spoke to three students about what their secret to motivation is!

BE PASSIONATE, AND HAVE A SUPPORT STRUCTURE
“I survived 2022 because I’m super passionate about my post-grad, which makes it a lot easier to stay motivated. We are all more committed to things that we love. But of course, there are overwhelming days – on these I find my support structure to be vital, with family, friends, and wonderful colleagues who have become friends. Motivation is often lost when tasks at hand become overwhelming and you lose sight of your goals, and in these times I found the support structure I have surrounded myself with to be critical in remotivating me and banishing my imposter syndrome.” – Amber Maneveldt

REFRAME YOUR NARRATIVE AND SET SOME TIME ASIDE FOR YOU
“I love calling myself a ‘survivor,’ that title is important to me. I had a rough year at times when – I’ll be perfectly honest – I struggled to go on. But because of labelling myself as a survivor – and having a great support structure in my family and faith – I knew that not succeeding was not an option! My secret weapon is to always make time for something you love: reading, writing, listening to music, and being creative are what works for me and reinspire me to keep going.” – Chanell Leyong

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE GOALS
“Set your goals, write them down, and stay focused on them. By creating a clear pathway to those goals, with realistic deadlines, your success becomes a tangible achievement within reach. Outline your steps along the way to break it up, and it will be easier to stay motivated when you hit these small landmarks and can tick another one off your list!” – Yolanda Marenene

LECTURERS… 8 WAYS TO MOTIVATE STUDENTS!
Amid the various distractions, our world has, motivating students should always be established at the forefront of educators’ goals – getting students motivated simply stands them in good stead for a lifetime of learning and healthy dynamics.

LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE
Everyone does better when they are told they can do better! Praise, encouragement and acknowledgement of progress are essential motivations.

EXPECTATIONS AND CONSEQUENCES
Boundaries and expectations must be clear on what is necessary to succeed at a task, subject, or course. By setting clear outcomes for each assignment, discussion and engagement, students will find a clearer path to success. Accountability is required to sustain motivation: what are the consequences of non-fulfilment? Be clear and upfront.

HEALTHY COMPETITION HELPS
Humans are naturally competitive, so this can be a powerful tool! Making friendly competition – be it against groups or personal bests – helps students to learn to set goals, track progress, and reach further for optimal results.

COLLABORATION = STIMULATION
On the other end, we have collaboration. Teamwork is an essential life skill which will stand students in good stead for life; encouraging it on projects teaches students to help identify and employ individual strengths, and set aside egos to accomplish a mutual goal. It also creates a sense of community, which is a wonderful support structure when motivation flags.

GET DIGITALLY CREATIVE
Students are digital natives on computers, tablets and smartphones. These multimedia tools – and Juta offers some! – have huge potential to enhance enthusiasm and engagement within your subject. Create projects that can encompass these, allowing students to collaborate with each other on platforms of the future, and motivate them by adding a resource that they are both familiar with and fascinated by.

BE RELATABLE, AND RELATE
By understanding the realities of students’ lives, you can better use analogies and examples to help them see the bigger picture. Good leadership is a core principle to effective trickle-down motivation, so by cracking that generational gap, you can access a wonderfully diverse eco-system of respectful learning which will benefit and inspire everyone… even you!

EMPOWER STUDENTS
By inviting participation in the creation of projects, planning, and portfolios, you can boost creativity and excitement within your shared spaces. This not only gives students insight into the greater plan, but makes them feel empowered that they have some input in their semester, year, and future.

LOOK AT THE INDIVIDUAL
It’s not always possible, but sometimes a tailored approach is necessary. If you can identify a student with particular challenges, it is enormously motivating to help them find a way around them and create an approach with their input.