Understanding students' laziness

"No kid wants to study!" This phrase has been uttered many times by contemporary parents, teachers and principals. Yet this line comes from the speech of a conservative character in Aristophanes' play "The Clouds". So, even in ancient Greece, some people were reluctant to take on pedagogical tasks.

Is it just because some people are lazy or lazy, or some other such synonym? Not really, according to this teacher and tutor. Admittedly, there are some notions of character, but to dwell on them would be to lay down one's arms in the face of the ability to motivate students.

He recalls the origins of motivation, which is based on dopamine. The attraction of a cake triggers the production of this neurotransmitter, which motivates the person to take action. The good memory created will recreate dopamine, so that when the situation returns, the person will act even faster. Conversely, if the impression created is a bad one, it will produce an aversive effect the next time. We therefore need to focus on the learners' cognitive process.

It's based on perceptions built up over the course of a learner's life and education:

• Perception of value: what value the student places on the work required, in terms of interest (pleasure derived), usefulness (benefits) and achievement (how it helps to build his or her identity);
  
• Perception of competence: the individual's sense of his or her ability to succeed at a given task;
  
• Perception of controllability: the feeling of being in control or not of one's learning.

By working on each of these images, a teacher is able to create what Rolland Viau calls "motivational dynamics", for example, by offering students choices in their work or ensuring a well-managed progression of difficulty.

Running time: 15min52