Education that students are compelled to engage in by teachers or parents often yields little long-term benefit. This was stated by PhD and mentor Vladimir Strashko. In his post on Facebook, the educator reflects on the issue of student motivation and the prevalent approaches to learning in modern Ukrainian education.
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Subscribe"Can education truly be forced? When you have to learn something just because someone said so," – Strashko questions. He is convinced that learning without a genuine understanding of its importance becomes futile. "The teacher said so, mom will punish, dad will check" – this is an experience familiar to many. However, such an approach does not foster a foundation for long-term knowledge retention.
According to Strashko, effective learning is only possible when there is motivation. This motivation can take various forms:
- interest in acquiring new knowledge;
- the ability to benefit from skills;
- the desire to improve oneself or win a game;
- the aspiration to apply knowledge in practice.
However, coercion in the style of "it is written, therefore it must be done" does not foster either interest or engagement.
Strashko points out that the issue of motivation concerns not only students but also civil servants and educators. The law requires them to engage in continuous learning, but in practice, courses are often attended merely for the sake of obtaining a certificate, rather than being a source of personal and professional growth," – the educator notes.
Strashko believes that the education system should focus on creating conditions for internal motivation to learn. This requires not only a different approach from teachers and parents but also a comprehensive change in educational principles. Only then will knowledge cease to be a "burden" and transform into a valuable resource for personal development.