Future Oriented Instruction 145

student as a person, not just on outcomes) encouraging personal growth and self-awareness. Recognizing the challenges of functioning in online environments, it attempts to offer helpful strategies and skills for optimal time efficiency. The need for future oriented instruction was identified through examination of the PDSM curriculum:

Efforts to support student functioning, their motivation to engage in studies, and to accomplish relevant personal goals can be enhanced through inclusion of future oriented topics, such as instrumentality and future time perspective. PDSM addressed the students in general as participants; however future oriented instruction addressed the students as students – people who are involved in academic programs. It recognized that daily activities mean study and learning activities, and helpful concepts to increase motivation and learning strategies were provided within a context of future goals.

8.4.1.2 Goals & Objectives

The goal of future oriented instruction within this study was to enhance the connection between immediate, proximal learning activities and relevant future, distal goals. The instructional objectives listed below express the desired outcomes for students after successful participation:

ƒ understand and apply effective goal-setting

ƒ understand and apply concepts of distal and proximal sub-goal systems

ƒ recognize the motivational aspects of personal future goals (instrumentality and relevance)

ƒ evaluate and monitor performance compensating for deficits through revisions of

8.4.1.3 Learner Selection/Identification

The participants in PDSM were pre-established since the course was required for students in all programs. Specifically, the course targeted first semester students.

Consequently, the course involved a few assumptions:

ƒ unfamiliarity with online learning formats

ƒ developing visions and aspirations for the future (not yet clearly defined)

ƒ an experimental approach to self-reflection and decision making

Future oriented instruction extended from these aspects recognizing that many students were adult learners who were no longer “novices” in terms of life-planning, time-management or self-knowledge. In order to incorporate such students in a positive way, the instruction included informal discussions which encouraged these peer experts to communicate and share their knowledge and expertise in an open forum exploring the relevant course topics.

8.4.1.4 Subject & Content

The main topic of future oriented instruction was strengthening the perception that immediate (proximal) activities are instrumental for achieving relevant personal future (distal) goals. This was supported by introducing the following concepts and constructs:

ƒ effective goal-setting strategies

ƒ assistance in establishing proximal and distal goal systems

ƒ awareness and understanding of perceived relevance and value for proximal tasks (instrumentality) and courses

ƒ self-regulation (especially planning, monitoring and evaluating)

ƒ the strategy of help-seeking (see section 4.2.3 and Karabenick, 2004) which supports the acquisition of knowledge as well as perceptions of relevance, value and instrumentality (seeking an expert opinion can help to broaden the scope of the subject or course in terms of its significance for a career or sector of employment).

8.4.1.5 Teaching Methods & Media

As supplemental material to PDSM, future oriented instruction built upon the methods and media already in use in that class.

ƒ blended learning: combination of onsite and online instruction using Moodle learning management system. Future oriented instruction adds the element of pre-work to the PDSM design (see Figure 5.9)

ƒ constructivist approach combining aspects of both problem-based learning and an inquiry approach.

8.4.1.6 Assessment & Evaluation

The final aspect of student assessment and instructional evaluation was addressed by the following measures: student assessment at the PDSM course level achieved through the completion of an end of course individual project which required students to apply concepts and strategies to concrete situations and experiences in their

instruction, students were encouraged to engage in self-assessment and evaluation. This process was aided by the completion of worksheets that focused on the relevant topics.

These were non-graded worksheets providing the subjects for discussions and individual revision during coaching sessions. General evaluation of the instructional intervention was achieved through the use of self-report instruments and qualitative interviews (select students) which were focused primarily upon the effects of such instruction on student motivation and self-regulated learning.

The problem (or question for investigation) in future oriented instruction dealt specifically with establishing a system of goals including proximal and distal goals that were relevant and connected to each other. In addition, the instruction emphasized the importance of being cognizant of how courses and subsequent tasks were perceived regarding relevance and value for the future. Students were not provided with answers or solutions; they themselves had to struggle with the concepts and constructs to determine how to successfully apply them to their own situations and experiences (or not). Supporting this challenge were a series of interactive coaching sessions which involved a typical cycle(s) of an inquiry-based model of instruction (Schneider, 2006) moving through five simple phases (repeating as, and if, necessary; see Fehler!

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Essentially, the model started with student generated questions relating to the topics covered in future oriented instruction. These questions were followed by investigation (students shared information and experiences that they had discovered, encountered or observed). Each coaching session allowed students to create new goals, apply the concepts of effective goal-setting within a system, and transfer the concepts to new courses and experiences. Discussion was encouraged and facilitated so students

could re-explore the topics again within an interactive group setting. Reflections followed once more that were either incorporated in the flow of discussion or after the session as students continued to study in online phases.

Ask

Investigate

Create Discuss

Reflect Ask

Investigate

Create Discuss

Reflect

Figure 8.3. 5 Phases of inquiry-based instruction

Incorporating coaching as a method of instruction was appropriate to the subjects of personality development and self-management, and especially to the topic of proximal and distal goal formation within a context of future time perspective and instrumentality. In online learning environments, aspects of coaching and mentoring have been encouraged as effective instructional methods (Murphy et al., 2005), and within business sectors executive coaching has long been seen as an effective method for increasing individual organizational performance (Cocivera & Cronshaw, 2004).

Coaching is viewed as supportive guidance and action that is focused on improving performance, including aspects of clear goal-setting, action plans and an optimistic approach to the future in terms of learning and future actions taken. Within constructivist learning environments the teacher-as-coach plays an important role in encouraging the development of effective task management skills and strategies for time

8.5 Instruments

A variety of methods were used in this study to gather empirical data for analysis and examination. While the bulk of literature on student motivation and cognition has relied mainly on student self-report surveys or on qualitative interviews, both methods have been operationalized in this study in response to the recent call for research employing a triangulation of methods (Pintrich, 2000; Winne & Perry, 2000;

Butler, 2002). Student records of achievement were included for data regarding grades at a cumulative level (GPA prior to study commencement at UAM) and course level (course grade calculated at the end of the relevant semester). Already existing self-report questionnaires developed by experts in the field were included as the main method of obtaining data on student time perspective, motivation and cognition. Finally, semi-structured interviews were employed as a means of gaining further insight into the factors and constructs examined in the questionnaires. Full versions of the self-report questionnaire and the semi-structured interview questions are included at the end of this dissertation in section 12.2 (Appendix A).