Originally published 121723

Devising, testing, and implementing potential solutions to problems is far more fun than complaining.

2010/11 School Year

I told my students that I’d timed my master’s program to coincide with our school year.

And that we’d implement and test any interesting ideas and strategies I learned along the way.

After a month of exploring research, I realized I’d need to tighten my focus.

Motivation and Engagement sounded good, but it was far too broad and nebulous a topic.

Intrinsic Motivation

I can’t remember how I found Bud Caddell’s blog, but his Venn diagram inspired ZIM.

The Pitch (with Bud’s permission)

Click to read

Deci and Ryan’s Self-Determination Theory (SDT) connected to ZIM, but it didn’t feel right. (Plus, my dyslexic brain reads that acronym as STD.)

Dan Pink changed that.

AMP (an acronym Pink inexplicably failed to coin in Drive) resonates with ZIM (and SDT).

Pink’s words (used with Dan’s permission).

As for Purpose (with a capital P), that was already deeply embedded in our classroom culture.

Common ground to build upon.

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Context: Deci and Ryan cite autonomy, competence, and relatedness as the foundation of their SDT. I find Pink’s descriptors more compelling. (As did Vincent and Semar, as you’ll see in 052.)

Featured Image: A problem worth thinking about.

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