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Does Interest Matter?

In a word, yes! But how does one create it? An assessment of the English & Language Faculty’s never-ending quest to spark interest and joy in our learning programs.

 

The English and Languages Faculty is one that places heavy emphasis on the familiar notion that learning is not solely about the destination, the journey can be truly enriching as well.

It is with this is mind that we often find ourselves discussing and pondering the issue of interest, most notably the importance of student interest in what we are teaching and learning and the impact this has on student outcomes. As a faculty we believe that student interest is paramount and thus we design our programs with student interest at the heart of development as we strongly believe that interest will lead to engagement and consequently achievement.

However, does this mean that students can simply study what they want? Will we be forever more reading essay after essay about the latest video game trend, motor sports or rugby?

The answer is of course no. So how do we create this all-important interest?

Judith Harackiewicz, et al. (2016) discuss this concept in their paper, Interest Matters: The Importance of Promoting Interest in Education. The authors note that, “when students are interested in an academic topic, they are more likely to go to class, pay attention, become engaged, take more courses, as well as process information effectively and ultimately perform well.”  The authors also discuss the notion of situational interest, whereby experience with the topic is conducted in a meaningful and involved manner which results in students perceiving the topic or task as valuable or enjoyable.

By harnessing this understanding of interest and how it can be formed, teachers can better design programs that will interest and inspire. An appreciation for the fact that learning must be contextualized to real-world experiences for our students will enable us to create connection. By understanding how to make students connect with a topic, we hold the power to deepen understanding and engagement. My favourite moments are when a topic has truly resonated with my class and I am able to watch them dialogue, create and share ideas.

This is also why we engage with the pedagogical practice known as Visible Learning, a topic on which I have written about previously in The Vortex. Visible Learning seeks to make the how, why and what of learning visible to students so that they become active participants as oppose to blind passengers. By involving students in the process of learning we consequently empower them and spark interest.

How are we building interest here at Eddie’s in the English and Languages Department? Our English programs are designed to engage and inspire. Texts such as The Hunger Games, Harry Potter and Jasper Jones are specifically chosen as they provide relevance and contemporary interest for our young people. Units that look at media literacy and debate are tailored to provide real-world applicability for our students. Excursions, such as the proposed viewing of Bell Shakespeare’s Hamlet at the Canberra Theatre Company, are organized in an effort to bring classical texts to life so that student understanding and appreciation may be heightened. Our language courses offer cultural experiences on top of the language acquisition tuition students receive. This year we are hosting a cultural fair, offering regular cooking classes, and have invited various organizations to come to the school to provide students with exciting experiences.

Student interest is at the heart of what we do and will continue to inform our practice forevermore.

Ashleigh Kerin
Head of English and Languages

Reference: Harackiewicz, J.M., Smith, J., Priniski, S. (2016) ‘Interest Matters: The Importance of Promoting Interest in Education.’ Sage Journals. Available at: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2372732216655542 (Accessed: 26/02/21)