Catlin Tucker

FEBRUARY 21, 2021

Could approaching the design, instruction, and facilitation of learning (in class, online, or a combination of the two) with a “would you rather” lens improve student motivation and engagement? Choice has been shown to improve retention, transfer performance, and motivation (Schneider, Nebel, Beege & Rey, 2018).

Laboratory 543

Laboratory Motivation Fairness Participation 543

Edsurge

MAY 21, 2025

While the research underscores the critical role teachers play in their students futures, being an educator is perhaps as difficult as it has ever been, the report authors write. Student Achievement About two-thirds of teachers agreed that their students were motivated to get good grades and on track to succeed in school.

Teachers 185

Teachers Fairness STEM Achievement 185

Edsurge

JANUARY 7, 2022

The moves came prior to the motivation. Cravings are the drives that motivate us to act. Building up a habit like the one I have done for exercise involves both intrinsic and extrinsic motivators for most people. —Looking for change Dave, my husband, was in the driveway a few days ago, about to head somewhere with our two kids.

Motivation 197

Motivation Reading Instructors Assignments 197

Ask a Tech Teacher

APRIL 23, 2024

The psychology of motivation: Strategies for engaging students Motivation plays a role not only in people’s choice to get involved in their goals but also in their behavior, persistence, and, ultimately, success. What does motivation entail? Experts in psychology have comprehensively analyzed motivation.

Motivation 174

Motivation Students Feedback Achievement 174

Edsurge

MAY 9, 2023

There’s even an option to write stories together. As one educator writes about their experience with the tool, there are no individual user profiles, no way to collect likes and no followers — basically, no emphasis on comparison. Competing [in a game] doesn’t work as motivation for every student.

Gamification 201

Gamification Motivation Game-Based Learning Math 201

Catlin Tucker

MARCH 8, 2021

Teachers are frustrated by what they perceive as a lack of focus, engagement, and motivation. Teachers frustrated by a perceived lack of focus, engagement, or motivation should develop routines and resources designed to help students develop these critical self-regulation skills. ” I hear statements like this every week.

Blended Learning 543

Blended Learning Metacognitive Skills Learning Motivation 543

Ask a Tech Teacher

JANUARY 28, 2022

It’ll start with a plot of land and students will write the story, cast the characters, create the entire 1776 world. In case you must ‘sell’ this idea to your administration, here are three great reasons why students should use Minecraft in school: Reading, Writing, and Problem Solving. Again, think Legos.

Writing 199

Writing Reading Teaching Evaluation 199

Catlin Tucker

FEBRUARY 26, 2023

Clear expectations positively impact the students’ feelings of competence or confidence in their ability to complete a task, which can motivate them to put in their best effort. Teachers do not need to write lengthy comments on student work to justify a grade.

Fairness 545

Fairness Assignments Feedback Evaluation 545

Catlin Tucker

MARCH 25, 2024

Writing Assignments: Writing tasks, whether creative stories, essays, or research papers, require students to think critically, organize their thoughts, write a draft, and revise based on feedback. I’ve built project playlists, close-reading playlists, and writing playlists.

Teachers 479

Teachers Art Feedback Writing 479

Catlin Tucker

OCTOBER 5, 2021

I hope that a close examination of this approach to designing and facilitating lessons will motivate teachers to explore alternative models that free them from the front of the room. Pain Point: Teachers are frustrated by a lack of student engagement and motivation. Consuming new information (e.g.,

Blended Learning 544

Blended Learning Metacognitive Skills Learning Motivation 544

Catlin Tucker

AUGUST 10, 2021

When you articulate the “why” or value of a vision board for your students, explain that the mental practice of visualizing has been shown to positively impact motivation, confidence, and physical ability (Ranganathan, Siemionow, Liu, Sahgal & Yue , 2004 ). Creating a Vision Board. Step 1: Time to Reflect.

Assignments 412

Assignments Motivation Writing Achievement 412

Teacher Toms Blog

MAY 30, 2025

It seemed like each time I spoke with him he was enthusiastic about some new hobby or other -- outer space, collecting knives, electric trains, bicycles, playing guitar -- all self-motivated. They are so committed to carrots and sticks that they simply can conceive of a child who is motivated from within.

Motivation 94

Motivation Assignments Testing Writing 94

Catlin Tucker

DECEMBER 31, 2020

When I was in college, I started writing a holiday newsletter to include with my Christmas cards. As I began to write, I realized that 2020 for me was a year of extremes. 7 Student agency is the best way to increase engagement and motivation. That lack of agency can have a devastating impact on student motivation.

Learning 544

Learning Blended Learning Assignments Feedback 544

Catlin Tucker

JUNE 3, 2021

We combined our expertise on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and blended learning to write a book designed to help teachers develop a mindset, skillset, and toolset that allows them to thrive no matter the educational setting–in class, online, or a blend of the two. Katie and I asked educators to submit their questions about the book!

Blended Learning 424

Blended Learning Universal Design Learning Motivation 424

Edsurge

FEBRUARY 8, 2023

Competition can be thrilling and motivating to those who choose to engage. They were used as gimmicks and antics to “motivate” students. They believed that students’ motivation should come from within. But we can be thoughtful about the tools we use to motivate students and how we support them in navigating their emotions.

Motivation 169

Motivation Students Middle School Middle School 169

Ask a Tech Teacher

MAY 16, 2024

It’s that time of hear when a lot of college students are writing dissertations as part of academic requirements. The Ask a Tech Teacher team has a short list: 8 Time Management Tips For Dissertation Writing Embarking on the journey of writing a dissertation is a significant academic undertaking.

Writing 159

Writing Assignments Motivation Curriculum 159

Ask a Tech Teacher

NOVEMBER 25, 2024

Photo by Glen Noble on Unsplash Embrace Your Inner Storyteller Think about what sparks your desire to write. Identify your audience Are you writing for fellow teachers? For example, if you’re writing for educators, your book might blend personal anecdotes with actionable tips. Writing for students? A general audience?

Writing 174

Writing Feedback Intelligence Curriculum 174

Catlin Tucker

APRIL 20, 2020

Students also reported being more motivated by audio and video feedback because it was clear and personalized (Voelkel & Mello, 2014; Henderson & Phillips, 2015). If students are working on a formal writing assignment or project, teachers can schedule 5-minute feedback sessions with individual students.

Feedback 546

Feedback Blended Learning Writing Communication 546

eSchool News

JANUARY 24, 2025

As technology has evolved, writing documents has also evolved. Before programs existed to streamline the IEP writing process, creating IEPs was once a daunting task of paper and pencil. Not only has the process of writing the IEP evolved, but IEPs are becoming technology-driven.

Technology 272

Technology Special Education Motivation Writing 272

Catlin Tucker

OCTOBER 16, 2019

In addition to personalizing learning, giving students agency is a powerful motivator. If students are invited to make decisions about the subject or topic they focus on, how they complete a task, or what they produce to demonstrate their learning, the learning path and products will be different for individual students.

Students 420

Students Learning Motivation Participation 420

Organized Classroom

MAY 13, 2025

This series focuses on 3 big picture ideas: Writing with Visuals, Writing for Meaning, and Writing by Novelty. You can watch both videos in the playlist below – or keep scrolling for the transcript and links to some fo the resources mentioned: Teaching Writing That is Engaging for Students Transcript: “Hi everyone!

Motivation 87

Motivation Writing Students Math 87

Ask a Tech Teacher

MAY 16, 2023

This post will introduce you to some quick tips for writing a research paper along with the importance of samples. Simple Steps for Research Paper Writing and the Importance of Samples Research papers are academic writings that offer rigorous analysis, evaluation, assessment, and interpretation of a specific topic.

Writing 159

Writing Essay Plagiarism Study 159

Catlin Tucker

AUGUST 16, 2024

Ongoing: Regular feedback routines ensure that students receive continuous guidance, motivating students to continually improve. AI can analyze unlimited amounts of student writing or data and generate rapid responses consistently, something that would be exhausting, if not impossible, for any human. First, AI can think very quickly.

Feedback 344

Feedback Coaching Assignments Motivation 344

eSchool News

SEPTEMBER 28, 2022

A learning disorder that can impact a child’s ability to read or interpret words, letters, and other symbols—but that doesn’t affect general intelligence—dyslexia often goes unnoticed until a student displays significant struggles with reading and/or writing. Not only are they affected academically, but students are also affected emotionally.

Disabilities 321

Disabilities Learning Disabilities Intelligence Reading 321

Edsurge

JANUARY 25, 2023

These cognitive developments allow adolescents to reason abstractly, incorporate new information, and monitor learning progress faster and easier,” researchers write. “In In addition, as course content becomes more challenging in higher grades, teachers may tend to use these complex strategies more often.”

Motivation 185

Motivation Teaching Cognitive Development Critical Thinking 185

eSchool News

SEPTEMBER 13, 2023

The benefits of student agency Students are more engaged and motivated. Besides allowing students to pursue topics that interest them, the sense of ownership and autonomy that student agency provides is very motivating in itself. As Pink writes in the book: “Control leads to compliance; autonomy leads to engagement.”

Students 348

Students Motivation Achievement Assignments 348

eSchool News

FEBRUARY 2, 2023

With the use of the Class Intercom app, students create photo and video content, write a post about DNMS, and select which school social media channel to post it to. DNMS has taken a unique approach to student recognition with the integration of its social media accounts and Rise Vision displays.

Middle School 246

Middle School Middle School Motivation Culture 246

Catlin Tucker

APRIL 27, 2021

Choice is a powerful motivator. As students move through the writing process, they may forget some of these requirements and benefit from a peer editor who can review their work to ensure it complies with the stated guidelines for the assignment. Below are three strategies designed to make peer feedback meaningful.

Feedback 546

Feedback Peer Review Assignments Online Learning 546

Catlin Tucker

JANUARY 10, 2022

These traditional workflows do not position the students to be active agents or help them to develop into expert learners, who are resourceful, strategic, motivated, and self-aware. I teamed up with Dr. Katie Novak to write a follow-up to our book UDL and Blended Learning.

Blended Learning 465

Blended Learning Metacognitive Skills Teachers Feedback 465

eSchool News

JULY 16, 2024

Assignments that engage students in creative practices motivate hard-to reach students and provide an opportunity for all students to be successful. Collaborating with Google will introduce them to new settings and content while being motivated and excited about their work. Working closely with peers allows them to think creatively.

Technology 317

Technology Critical Thinking Assignments Motivation 317

eSchool News

APRIL 23, 2025

Launching with four exciting episodes featuring lessons on run-on sentences, context clues, and writing purpose, the series is a go-to resource for differentiated ELA instruction. These resources map to 14 National Career Clusters and connect classrooms with Career Connect , which offers students virtual access to industry professionals.

Laboratory 200

Laboratory Social Studies Education Middle School 200

eSchool News

MARCH 27, 2023

The all-new AI Assignment Assistant generates customized writing prompts on any topic or subject, at any grade level and in any curriculum within seconds. We’ve seen students who once struggled to put their thoughts into words start to confidently express themselves through writing.

Writing 268

Writing Motivation Learning Styles Critical Thinking 268

Catlin Tucker

DECEMBER 11, 2020

In my latest book, Balance with Blended Learning , I write about strategies that turn everyday tasks, like giving feedback, assessing student work, and conferencing with students about progress into opportunities for connection. Conferencing sessions are one of the most effective strategies for connecting with learners in class or online.

Blended Learning 531

Blended Learning Communication Coaching Questions 531

Teach Hub

APRIL 9, 2025

Getting students motivated after spring break can feel a bit like trying to run in flip-flops. Building this momentum helps students feel capable and proud, which fuels motivation better than any reward ever could. Field days, talent shows, or themed classroom celebrations are all great motivators. Easier said than done.

Motivation 103

Motivation Students Writing Activities 103

Catlin Tucker

MAY 18, 2021

As Katie Novak and I write in UDL and Blended Learning: Thriving in Flexible Learning Landscapes (coming out May 29!), these are critical skills students need to develop if they are going to become expert learners who are motivated, resourceful, strategic, and capable of advocating for themselves.

Blended Learning 519

Blended Learning Feedback Learning Beliefs 519

eSchool News

DECEMBER 11, 2023

Obviously, creating a positive work environment characterized by trust, respect, teamwork, and open communication can help foster a sense of community and keep IT employees engaged and motivated. As best-selling author Daniel Pink writes in his book Drive , having autonomy is a powerful motivator for employees.

Education 311

Education Motivation Writing Achievement 311

eSchool News

MARCH 26, 2025

Key points: Students who feel supported feel empowered to learn and achieve 3 critical areas necessary to boost student motivation Expanded learning can improve student well-being For more on student achievement, visit eSN’s SEL & Well-Being hub Every student should get to feel brilliant at school. But too often, they dont.

Failure 318

Failure Math Achievement Beliefs 318