Thanks for the references, Michael. I am familiar with Dr. Mazur's work on peer instruction and his colleague, Dr.Julie Schell's work on flipped classroom usages in postsecondary education.

Group activities are good. Pair stronger students with those needing assistance. Reinforces learning of the stronger and does "peer" teaching for the others and brings everyone along.

Claire Ellen Weinstein presented on Will, Skill, and Self Motivation at an Advanced Kellogg Institute, and is highly regarded in her field. She is associated with the LASSI instrument. In addition to her workshop, I have been to many conferences, read as much as I can on this. I have formed my own conclusions, that students have to find internal motivation. The way I can help is to try to find out why they are in the program they chose (teaching, culinary, criminal justice) and help them find their own reason for doing well, and staying in the class.

Students need to find connections to make meaning for themselves, also. For example, I teach Developmental Math, and they don't see any point to some topics. However, many topics we can find a connection to the real world. I challenge them to find meaning for themselves, but this is hard for the weakest students.

Practical suggestions: the first day, get information on the student's career goals, and use it every chance you get in your presentation. (Ex: I am teaching fractions, I use all kinds of cooking references for the culinary students; teaching metric, stress small measurements they use in Dental).

Build student - student connections by having them work together. In any setting 'think-pair-share' will get them talking to each other. Give a few minutes here and there for them to talk to each other (bonding, I call it) then bring them back to task.

If you have the luxury of lots of whiteboards or chalkboards, send the whole class to the board to work at the same time on some activity or questions. They can rotate stations if you don't have a lot of vertical surface. I know English teachers (Developmental) who have started doing this after we demonstrated how we use it in our math classes.

If you are bad at names, use name 'tents' or cards, call them by their name. Use information about their chosen career when you talk to them. They will build a stronger connection with the class and school if they believe you care, and if they can connect to other students.

On my first day information page, I ask them to tell me how I can help them stay motivated when the going gets tough. Some don't have any idea, but a few may tell me exactly what will help them. ("remind me that I am doing this so my kids will see me succeed" is one direct quote from a student.)

Any time my class is lagging, unengaged, low energy, I give them a problem to work on together, then insist they check with two other teams before I will accept it (I collect it, put comments and only a few points on it). The energy goes up, they get engaged.

I am sure there are many more great ideas, these are just a few practical things I do. I don't have any references...sorry about that.

Thanks, Shanna, for your varied suggestions for helping students find their "inner motivations." These suggestions harken back to the writings of K. Patricia Cross on facilitating adult learners participation and Malcolm Knowles' androgynous strategies for promoting adult student engagement in learning.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts,Shanna.

Very practical ways of motivating students. Peer teaching is one of the most effective ways.You can also end up a lecture with a question that may generate the curiosity of students.Group discussions on the question asked can keep the class always alive.

This can also help the students to think deep on the topic.