Provide options for Recruiting Interest

• Optimize individual choice and autonomy:  Motivated learners are more empowered to take charge and responsibility for their learning. Allowing them to decide on recognition methods for their work, the content and context used for assessing skills, and the tools they use to gather and organize information can foster self-determination and pride in their accomplishments.
• Optimize relevance, value, and authenticity: Students are more connected to learning experiences that are meaningful and relevant to their lives outside the classroom. Therefore, ensure the learning activities provide socially relevant tasks, inclusive of, and appropriate for diverse cultures, ages, and ability levels. Plus, make sure they are also personalized and contextualized to the ‘learner’s lives. Similarly, include activities that prompt students to solve problems and work collaboratively in real-life scenarios.
• Minimize threats and distractions: Learners are more likely to meaningfully engage in learning when they feel they are in a safe space— a space where they will not be judged or ridiculed for making a mistake. To minimize potential threats to ‘students’ psychological safety and avoid distractions that may hinder learning, make sure you vary the level of novelty and risk by providing class planners and routines, provide variations in the pace and intensity of work, include independent and group work, and involve all learners in class discussions.