“Marcus, I need to talk to you about your grade.”
Some variation on that theme is where the conversation usually begins. It ends with the student either being motivated or frustrated.
All of our students get issued laptops, so typically the number one cause of low grades is distraction. At least that is the one we hear the most.
Sometimes, however, a student is really beyond their skill level. They struggle with the content, lose interest because they are not or believe they cannot be successful, and then distract themselves with the technology. So what can you teach a student that is frustrated, performing poorly, and has only a few weeks to turn a grade around in a class?
One of the few blogs that I have read consistently over the years is written by a self-described “speed-reading, vegetarian, holistic learning, productivity hacking university student”. On Scott H Young (at www.scotthyoung.com) the author has collected 9 tactics that can help. Some, like pegging and linking, I have taught in class for a few years, but there are many more skills and techniques listed that could be of benefit (maybe even to you?).
If nothing else, by giving the student the link to read, you’ve introduced him or her to a valuable resource that can benefit them even beyond the scope of the problem of grades.