The secret to motivating students | Eliseo Fernández Barrionuevo | TEDxBrewster Park ED

What if there were a magic button to instantly activate student motivation? In this insightful talk, Eliseo Fernández Barrionuevo explores the power of intrinsic motivation as the key to learning. While administrators often focus on procedures, activities, and teacher performance, the most crucial element—the student—can be overlooked.

Drawing from personal experience and research on motivation transcontextualization, Eliseo reveals how engagement in one area of life, such as sports or video games, can be leveraged to inspire learning in another. By identifying what already excites students and connecting it to the curriculum, educators can ignite genuine enthusiasm for learning.

Eliseo Fernández Barrionuevo has held diverse roles as a teacher (pre-K to university), administrator, researcher, and education advisor, collaborating with schools in Spain, Finland, the USA, France, the UK, and Sweden to study the keys to success in each context. A pioneer in bilingual programs in Spain and the internationalization of education, his work has earned him several awards. With a doctorate focused on psycholinguistics and motivation, he has authored over 40 articles and book chapters. Currently, he directs the Spanish Resource Center at Rice University under the Spanish Ministry of Education and works with the Spanish Embassy in the U.S., managing educational programs promoting multilingualism and multicultural education. His efforts include overseeing the Visiting Teacher Program, with over 1,500 active teachers in the U.S., and the NALCAP program, enabling over 50,000 participants to teach millions of students in Spain.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx