Educator's Voice
Vol 10, Issue 6
November 19, 2009
Infomercials Inform Online Learning?
I recently performed the keynote address to a large group of educators. I tried to inspire and motivate them by painting a scene, one character at a time. I talked about education, the future, generational learning styles, technology, student preferences, narrative, Web 2.0, authentic assessment, social learning, brain research, and potential computer assets. By the time I was done, I felt they had a solid understanding of what teaching should look like today.
However, when I finished, a woman approached me with a simple question that I’ve thought about for a few months now. “This is all great…I believed every word…but what about time?” she puzzled. When I probed a bit, she explained that she has attempted several technology based things in the classroom from simulations to games to social learning. But the problem came with students who refused to spend any time performing the activities. They did the absolute minimum, in spite of her attempt to meet them “where they were at.” So she asked me about my thoughts on student time.
This is not an easy question. In fact, if you research you’ll find dozens of algorithms and proposed theories for how much time students do and (more important) should spend on classroom tasks. Even a Google search of various institutions like Duke, M.I.T., University of North Carolina, etc. shows that there is little to no agreement here. Most people agree that students will spend 3 hours in class during the week, but what about homework? It seems to range from 3-20 hours depending on grade level, subject matter, instructor and/or institution. But more importantly, these hours, even if agreed to by instructors, are often dismissed entirely by students. Students often do anything possible to mitigate or even remove homework from their diets. And since the applets, simulations, and social learning structures I suggest are essentially homework, how do we get students to participate?
To answer that, I went back to my roots. I got out my latest copy of Persuasion (Lucas, 2006), Persuasion in Society (Simons, 2001) and Persuasion: Psychological Insights and Perspectives (Brock, Green, 2005). I believe that students need to be persuaded to act – just as all humans need motivation to act. The old model of doing something “because I said so” doesn’t fly anymore. It has to have purpose and be seen as beneficial! So, how do we persuade students to act, interact, and react?
I believe the best, modern day example of persuasion in action is the infomercial. Yes, there are other, more eloquent choices like a courtroom or the floor of Congress, but most people do not have regular access to those venues. We all, however, can see infomercials on TV or on the Web at any time. So, to illustrate the persuasive techniques, let me try to tie them to something you know. From the Sham-Wow to the Snuggie to the P90X fitness system to the Hercules Hook (ok, I’ve actually bought some of those hooks…they’re awesome!), we are surrounded with examples of how to persuade people.
Student Need:
Explaining a need shared by your students is one of the most commonly used strategies for motivating people. If a teacher can convince the student that a need exists, it is relatively easy to propose a solution that will meet the need. Even if a solution does not exist, people will be motivated to act, believe, or change their values and attitudes if a true need has been illustrated. It stands to reason that a student wants their needs to be met. So, what needs do humans have? You may remember Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Maslow proposed that a set of five basic needs exist, ranging from the essential life-sustaining needs to the less critical self-improvement needs. But, in addition to Maslow's needs pyramid, specific needs can be found in specific students consistently. The key is to find and explain the need.
Watch the setup of an infomercial. It's all about need. Listen to the rhetoric: “Are you tired of being overweight?” “Do you wish you could sleep through the night like a healthy person should?” “Are you tired of living from paycheck to paycheck without any money in the bank for emergencies, vacations, or retirement?” These questions are designed to get the viewer to think about need! The reason infomercials are so successful is because people react by thinking: “Yes, I AM overweight!” “I DO wish I could sleep like a healthy person!” “I'm tired of being poor and I want some money!” Did these people have this need prior to being told? Sure they did. But often, unless someone explicitly states the issue, humans largely ignore them as a coping mechanism. Showing the student their need is a powerful way to present your persuasive message.
ROI:
Return on Investment, often called ROI, maintains that people consciously evaluate the potential rewards and benefits, or value, of taking a particular action versus the cost or investment of time, money, energy and so on. The fact that a student is thinking in these terms is evidence that persuasion is starting to take place, but it must be followed through to conclusion. By illustrating that the cost is less than the gain, people will be motivated. If you can make the student see (and believe) that the amount of time, energy, or effort is worth the reward, they will be persuaded.
“Is it worth 20 minutes out of your day, 3 times per week to look like a super-model?” “One simple phone call is all it will take for you to start sleeping better, feeling more rested, and going through your day with energy from now on.” “With absolutely no money of your own to invest, you can get a paycheck of $10,000 or more after your first investment.” Infomercials show ROI consistently. They attack this in different fashions, talking about time, money, energy, and investment throughout. They do not usually focus on one single aspect of ROI, often preferring to discuss several ROI options. But you can be sure that ROI is a significant part of the sell.
Incentive Theory:
Go to a sales department and you might see a popular slogan on a poster: “Incentives Work!” As we saw with ROI, people will act when there is a favorable cost - reward ratio. An easy way to help your student perceive that the reward is greater than the cost is with incentives. To many students, incentives are “too good to pass up.” This becomes the logical conclusion.
“Act now! Only the first 100 callers will get this special offer!” “If you call in the next 15 minutes, we'll cut one payment off of the price!” “But wait, we'll not only send you the fat demolisher, we'll also throw in a recipe guide to healthy eating, a DVD with special fat burning exercises, and a colorful exercise mat.” These incentives are designed to get people over the “hump.” The assumption is that people who may not have felt that the product was worth $19.95, will feel differently with all of the extra stuff thrown in. Just remember, “Incentives Work!”
Cognitive Dissonance Theory:
Have you ever seen an advertisement asking for money to help starving children in another country? It's not pleasant, is it? Cognitive dissonance places the student in a state of discomfort or tension and then reduces that discomfort. Often done with story or visual aids, cognitive dissonance is something that no person wants to feel. As a general rule, people want to feel happy. People want to feel good about themselves and the world they live in. Giving the student an action step can is essential with this theory. But, the key is to find a way to make the student feel discomfort prior to helping them relieve that conflict.
“Are you tired of exercise machines that are too hard and don't seem to work?” (Pan to a heavyset man on a treadmill, obviously in discomfort and sweating profusely.) “Have you tried pillows that only make your neck stiff and hurt?” (Pan to a night shot of a woman on a pillow too large for her head, forcing it to lift uncomfortably.) “I saw these kids starving, using the same water supply for drinking as well as for going to the bathroom and my heart broke.” (Pan to undernourished children with flies buzzing around their faces.) These problems make people feel badly. They have either experienced something similar or don't want to imagine something this uncomfortable. Creating this kind of discomfort in a student sets the stage for a solution that will be easily and readily accepted.
Expectancy Value Theory:
“Win one for the Gipper!” is the ultimate expression of Expectancy Value. Basically, the theory purports that if you are convinced that you can do something, then you will. It is the motivational equivalent of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Motivating the student with a combination of individual goals and the expectation of attaining those goals is quite persuasive. Many times the teacher will give the student options of the actions they can take to attain that goal, but at the heart is pathos-–pure, emotionally driven motivation designed to convince your listener that they can, they will, or they must.
“Before I bought this weigh loss formula, I weighed 450 pounds. I ate all day. Now you see me-–I’m skinny! Believe me, if I can do it, you can do it!” “I haven't slept right in 30 years, but the Wonder-Pillow changed all that. Now I have energy to burn and I wake up rested and happy.” “I came to this country with $5 in my pocket. But after using my investment strategies, I now own 3 mansions, 14 sports cars, and an NBA team.” Why do infomercials have these types of testimonials? Because they know that people are thinking, “I can't do that…it's too hard, too much money, etc.” So, they show people who were worse off than you ever were succeeding. This allows us to believe that if they can do it, certainly I can do it!
Reciprocal Theory:
Have you ever gone to a car dealership not intending to buy anything, but rather to look around? But when you get there, the sales person offers you some soda, a hot dog, a cool gadget of some kind, entrance into a special drawing, etc? They have done this for a reason. People will feel obligated to act when they are given something. Often a sales person will give the client “free” advice or a “free” gift which will motivate the receiver to return the favor. Reciprocity is a powerful, persuasive tool!
“We'll send you our special weigh loss DVD just for calling!” “Even if you don't like the Wonder-Pillow, keep the silk pajamas as our gift to you.” “Call now for our expert's top pick in the Fantasy draft at no obligation to you.” Everybody likes to receive something free. But, when we get something for free, we often feel obligated to return the favor. This is reciprocity in action.
The last important piece of information here is that most infomercials (and most great persuasive messages) incorporate these and many other persuasive theories. From Monroe’s Motivational Sequence to Belief Systems, there are dozens of frameworks to place persuasive messages in. But the best messages use a lot of persuasive strategies to reach a lot of people!
So, if you’re wondering why students cut corners, skim pages, and skip homework altogether, ask yourself why they are persuaded in the first place. A good educator helps students find ways to self-persuade, but it doesn’t always work, so we need to intervene and give our own persuasive messages at times! What persuades students? You tell me. Is it grades, satisfaction, community, potential employment, a desire to improve themselves, etc? Yes, yes, and yes. And it’s much more than that too.
Do you want students to try the new technology you created as a homework assignment? Make it worth their time and energy. Persuade them that your tasks are important. Good luck and good teaching!
Jeff D Borden, M.A.
Senior Director of Teaching & Learning
References
Larson, C. (2006). Persuasion. Beverly, MA.: Wadsworth Publishing Co.
Simons, H.W. (2001). Persuasion in Society. New York, N.Y.: Sage Publishing.
Brock, T.C., & Green, M.C. (2005). Persuasion: Psychological Insights and Perspectives. New York, N.Y.: Sage Publications, Inc.
Instructor’s Tip
Displaying a PDF in Your Course
The new Web Content Upload content item in the .NExT system is a great way for you to upload and display linked Web files (such as you would create using Dreamweaver or Homesite), but did you know that you can easily upload and display your PDFs using this tool?
To show a PDF using the Web Content Upload tool, you must first create a Web Content Upload content item—you may have noticed this new content item option in .NExT:
(Fig 1: in the Author tab, create a Web Content Upload content item from the Course Homepage or any Unit Homepage. When choosing item type, notice the new Web Content Upload option in the Item Type dropdown.)
Once your content item is created, you can populate it with your PDF by browsing your computer for the desired pdf file, exactly as you would when using the Microsoft Office Upload tool to display a Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file.
(Fig 2: in the Author tab, go to your new Web Content Upload content item and click on the Browse button to browse your computer for the PDF you would like to display.)
Once you have located the file and see that the file path (ending with the name of the file) displays in the Select File field, click on the Upload File button to save. You can then click on the Course tab to view the PDF as your students will see it.
(Fig 3: a PDF file containing a mind map is displayed in Course view.)
NOTE: students must have the appropriate Adobe Acrobat plug in downloaded in order to view PDFs on their computer. Links to the download site for the most recent Acrobat Reader can be found in the Technical Requirements page of any Pearson eCollege EP campus, and in the Student Orientation Tutorial.
Vicki Galloway Harsh
Sr. Academic Trainer and Consultant, Pearson eCollege
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