From “I want to learn” to “I will

learn”Rediscovering the Concept of

ConationMelody ThompsonAssistant Professor Adult Education ProgramPenn State Universitymmt2@psu.edu

Lorna KearnsInstructional DesignerCenter for Instructional

Development and Distance Education

University of Pittsburghlrkearns@pitt.edu

AgendaSituate conation within the learning

domain landscapeRecognize its importance to adult

learning and distance learningDiscuss how to support and develop

conation among your studentsIntroduce some Web 2.0 tools

History of the ConceptPlato’s Tripartite Soul (4th century

BC) Rational soul (mind/intellect) Spirited soul (will/volition) Appetitive soul (emotion/desire)

Scottish and German Psychologists (1700s) Three faculties of mind:

Cognition (knowing) Affect (valuing; emotion) Conation (striving; volition)

Rediscovering the Concept

1932

“We say we are trying, striving, endeavoring, paying keen attention, making an effort, working hard, doing our utmost, exerting ourselves, concentrating all our energies; in technical terms, we are manifesting conation.”

--William McDougallThe Energies of Men

1980

Hilgard calls for a renewed effort to investigate affective and conative constructs involved in learning.

Application to Distance Education

1987 – Atman proposes a model of conative goal accomplishment for distance learners

7. Organize8. Make it happen9. Don’t procrastinate10.Finish what you start11.Evaluate12.Fit into long-range

purpose

1. Recognize need, problem, challenge, opportunity

2. Set goal3. Brainstorm

alternatives4. Assess risks5. Select strategy6. Visualize finished

project

Learning DomainsConation Cognition Affect

•What do I want to work toward? Why?

•How do I set and manage my learning goals?

•How do I achieve my goals?

•How do I learn new information?

•How do I come to understand?

•How do I create new knowledge?

•How do I feel about my learning?

•How do I feel about what I know?

Knowledge EmotionBehavior

Conation ConstructsMotivation Volition

•Need for achievement

•Fear of failure•Self-esteem•Self-efficacy•Personal interests and attitudes

•Persistence•Will to learn•Mental effort investment

•Mindfulness in learning

•Attitudes about the future

•Work ethic•Self-regulation of goal-oriented behavior

•Awareness of short-term and long-term goals and consequences

Pre-decisional Post-decisional“I want to learn”

“I will learn”

Commitment PathwayWishes

Wants

Intentions

Actions

Potency

Future Relevance

Current Relevance

Related ConceptsSelf-directed learning is a process by

which learners take the initiative to: Diagnose their learning needs Formulate learning goals Identify resources for learning Choose and implement appropriate learning

strategies Evaluate learning outcomes (Knowles, 1975)

Self-regulated learning encompasses the processes by which learners achieve learning goals.

Why Conation MattersPersistence among adult learners is a

continuing concern.It can be affected by:

Competing demands for time Competing demands for resources Need to respond to unanticipated events Role conflicts Lack of integration with learning

community Institutional focus on younger learners

Why Conation MattersAlthough the cognitive and affective

perspectives suggest that a student will “do” something, they don’t address the energy requirements necessary for “doing.”

As Maslow noted, “healthy people are more integrated…In them the conative, the cognitive, the affective, and the motor are less separated from each other…working collaboratively without conflict to the same ends.”

Conation Phases

1. Direction2. Energizing3. Persistenc

e

Plan Start Finish

DirectionSelf-awarenessVisions of possibilitiesMaking choicesGoal-settingPlanning

Energizing

Sense of achievement

PridePleasureExternal

rewards

Resource investment

Discomfort of change

Fear of failure

Benefits Costs

“In general, the potential for pleasure resulting from striving and obtaining dreams, desires, and goals must outweigh the discomfort of change or fear of failure if action is to be taken.” --Huitt, 1999

PersistenceRegular monitoring of thoughts,

emotions, and behaviorEvaluation of strategies and progressAppropriate attributionResourcefulnessAttentional controlEmotional and motivational controlAdaptive help-seekingGoal protection

ImplicationsDirection Energizing Persistence

• Imagine possibilities

• Make decisions• Identify goals• Develop plans

• Overcome inertia

• Develop and regulate self-esteem

• Focus attention

• Manage emotions

• Practice self-renewal strategies

• Control attention

• Monitor emotions and behavior

• Evaluate progress

• Reward completion

Supporting Your Students

What can you do to help students… Imagine possibilities? Set attainable goals? Develop goal achievement plans? Implement plans? Practice self-observation? Reflect on progress? Seek help appropriately? Manage emotions?

Angermeier, Markus. Web 2.0 universe map. Licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Germany. Retrieved May 19, 2010 from http://kosmar.de/wp-content/web20map.png

Web 2.0 Tools

Wikis Blogs

Remember Atman1. Recognize need,

problem, challenge, opportunity

2. Set goal3. Brainstorm

alternatives4. Assess risks5. Select strategy6. Visualize finished

project

7.Organize8.Make it happen9.Don’t

procrastinate10.Finish what you

start11.Evaluate12.Fit into long-range

purpose

What’s a Wiki?Web-based groupware application for:

• Creating, editing and hosting HTML pages• Version tracking • Page linking and organization

What Students Said“We thought that networking was a way that we could share resources with one another … thereby multiplying our learning process.”

“...it was a way of collaborating even though not seeing each other.”

“I gained a lot of confidence and also appreciation of the work by sharing and learning from my peers on the wiki.”

Remember Atman1. Recognize need,

problem, challenge, opportunity

2. Set goal3. Brainstorm

alternatives4. Assess risks5. Select strategy6. Visualize finished

project

7. Organize8. Make it happen9. Don’t procrastinate10.Finish what you

start11.Evaluate12.Fit into long-

range purpose

What’s a Blog? Web log or journal to which students can

post text, images, and hyperlinks

Questions?

http://www.slideshare.net/lornakearns/sloan-2010-conation-presentation