Apathy in the classroom can be a frustrating and challenging issue for teachers. I’ve seen it far too often. Apathetic learners are those who lack motivation and engagement in the learning process. They may seem disinterested, disengaged, or even resistant to learning. Understanding the causes of apathy and implementing strategies to engage these learners can be crucial to their academic success (and your sanity!).
One of the main causes of apathy in learners is a lack of relevance or interest in the material being taught. When students see no connection between what they are learning and their own lives, they may struggle to find motivation to engage in the lesson. To combat this, educators can make an effort to connect the material to real-world applications or to the students’ interests. This can help to make the material more relevant and interesting, thereby increasing engagement.
Another cause of apathy can be related to the student’s home life. Students who are dealing with stress or difficult situations outside of school may struggle to find the energy or focus to engage in the classroom. In these cases, it’s important for teachers to be aware of these situations and provide support and understanding. Building positive relationships with these students and showing an interest in their lives can be crucial in helping them to overcome these challenges.
A lack of choice or autonomy in the learning process can also lead to apathy. When students feel that they have no control over their learning, they may become disengaged and resistant to the material. Giving students choices about how they want to learn the material and allowing them to take ownership of their learning can help to increase engagement.
Incorporating technology and hands-on activities can also be effective in engaging apathetic learners. These methods can make the learning process more interactive and fun, which can help to increase engagement. Additionally, providing immediate feedback on student work can help them to see the progress they are making and feel more motivated to continue learning.
Creating a positive and inclusive learning environment is also key to engaging apathetic learners. Encouraging a growth mindset, providing positive feedback, and promoting a sense of belonging and inclusivity among students can help to create a supportive and motivating learning environment.
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Adding games is probably the most effective way to grab students’ attention. Games encourage risk taking in a low-stakes environment. Students are more likely to take risks in the classroom when playing games and therefore also more likely to learn from those mistakes. Plass et al. refer to a concept they deem “graceful failure” where students expect to fail occasionally in the game and therefore are less discouraged by its occurrence. Providing students opportunities to fail and learn from that failure promotes a growth mindset in our students, which in turn increases grit and perseverance.
Give students a motivating element that lets them know they have achieved the goal. Perhaps this is a mystery word they decode at the end of the game after collecting all the letters, or maybe it is “breaking out” of the escape room, or even tokens they collect while completing each task that are redeemed at the end of the game. This gives students a sense of accomplishment.
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–> How to use hooks to activate students’ curiosity and build momentum for learning.
–> How to level up any topic with increased interactivity and inner motivation.
–> How to build a Mystery Match activity in PowerPoint that you can reuse over and over again.
–> How to get 100% participation (even from your apathetic students!)
Introducing content through a game cloaks learning in fun and actually helps students associate the process of learning with positive feelings. Students who might otherwise feel checked out or daunted by the learning task at hand will be pulled in by the excitement of playing a game in class. Games therefore help teachers reach reluctant learners and pull them back into the work of the classroom.
Students who often feel unable to contribute in classroom discussion or hesitant to answer questions are given avenues for participation through the inclusion of collaborative games. When you incorporate activities that “involve team collaboration and competition, communication, creation, systems thinking, and problem solving,” you are giving students opportunities to practice “socioemotional skills or 21st-century skills”. In a way that a classroom lecture does not permit, games allow students to find voices and practice interactions in the classroom.
Virtual games have even been shown to “improve focus and attention for students with ADHD and help students with dyslexia improve spatial and temporal attention, which can translate into improved reading” (Nguyen). When well done, games can improve academic outcomes for students at all levels.
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