The AMP Forum was designed to help students support each other in identifying and pursuing concrete academic goals. Using Twitter lists and a hashtag, students were able to "Name it, share it, do it!"

1. The
Academic
Motivation
and
Persistence
Forum

2. Initiated by
the Academic Services Center
and the Center for Academic
Excellence
Franklin Pierce University
Rindge, NH
September 13, 2010

3. What is the AMP Forum?
Students who participate:
1.Name and commit to one concrete, achievable academic
goal each week
2.Post the goal (using Twitter and the hashtag #ampf)
3.Post an update at week's end on their progress
Optionally:
1.Students follow other AMP users' progress and post words
of encouragement using the Twitter Reply button or by
starting their post with @ + username (e.g. @mendhamt)
2.Create an AMP Forum on list on Twitter so they can easily
track fellow AMP-ers and display their participation in the
group
Image from http://www.flickr.com/photos/adriarichards/3277643453/

4. Problems that AMP
addresses
•The most common reason for poor school
performance and bad grades is that students
lose the motivation to keep doing their work
or to go to classes.
•There are many reasons not to do work,
which mount as the semester progresses.
•Slacking off is a continous temptation, but
doesn't pay off in the long run. You get more
long-term benefit out of decent grades than
you do out of procrastinating, giving in to
feelings of futility, or goofing off.
Image from http://www.flickr.com/photos/quirky/3642098619/sizes/s/in/photostream/

5. Solutions AMP offers
1.You need strong resolve to keep doing your work and
going to classes.
2.Naming your goal will help you remember and stay focused
on it.
3.Writing it down or posting the goal helps you evaluate later
what methods worked best for you.
4.When you say what you want to do, others can help you
stay motivated. Friends and teammates can remind you
of the results of your actions, and show that they believe in
your ability to do well.

6. How do you get started?
1.Go to http://twitter.com
2.Sign up for a free account.
3.Choose one achievable goal for the week and post it.
Include the hashtag #ampf. For example: This week I'm
going complete a rough draft of my paper at least 48 hours
before it is due. #ampf
4.Try to post a goal every week. Sunday and Monday are
good days.
Optional:
1.Post again when the week is over about how you did. (This
will really help you make progress.)
2.Post replies to other AMPers to motivate them.
3.Follow the ASC's guidelines for setting specific, concrete,
and achievable short-term goals.
Image from http://www.flickr.com/photos/joshsemans/3410552341/sizes/t/in/photostream/

7. Extras
•For students on the go:
you don't need a computer
to post:
oSet up your Twitter
account so you can post
by sending a text to
40404 from your cell
phone.
oDownload the Twitter
app (or Tweetdeck or
Hootsuite) to use on
your Blackberry, Droid,
iPhone, or iPod touch
•Create a list on Twitter
of other AMPers
(sidebar>Lists>New)
•Encourage others to join
the AMP Forum and
help build our
community.

8. What are good weekly academic goals
like?
Useful short-term goals are
1.Challenging (hard enough to require some effort)
2.Concrete (measurable steps that you can tell if did them,
not abstractions)
3.Manageable (do-able)
4.Purposeful (likely to help you meet long-term objectives)
Develop a specific plan for meeting your goals. If you break the
plan into daily or weekly steps you can track your progress.
(Procrastinators and perfectionists, take note!)
Trouble thinking of a goal? List what obstacles you have you
face. What can you do to start addressing them?

9. What are some examples of good
weekly goals?
•Arrive to class five minutes early for a seat up front
•Break assignments into realistic parts and do a little bit every
day
•Check out ___ (Outreach Education, the Academic Services
Center annex, the Writing Center, talk to CA, consult the
library reference desk, Tracy’s writing drop-in hours…)
•Do all the assigned reading
•Put all papers and homework in separate folders so nothing
gets lost
•Start writing an essay more than 48 hours before it's due
•Stay off Facebook between 6 and 9 pm
•Study for 2 hours on at least 3 days

10. Thanks for watching this presentation.
Contact me on Twitter: @mendhamt
Use Twitter's search to find #ampf
Visit our list at http://twitter.com/mendhamt/ampf