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Journal Article: A systematic Review on Students’ Engagement in Classroom-Indicators, Challenges, and Computational Techniques, January 2020

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Journal Article: A systematic Review on Students’ Engagement in Classroom-Indicators, Challenges, and Computational Techniques, January 2020

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“Innovative and fun context of teaching strategy is essential to promote engagement. A variety of multimedia tools and incorporating technology into learning activities have been shown to increase students’ interest, higher achievement, improved quality of work, higher students’ motivation, and improved information literacy and critical thinking skills (Taylor et al., 2006).”

This result shows that a huge part of positive engagement in students is stimulation, and the introduction of diverse, innovative activities, and proves that we need to re-examine the traditional, binary ways of teaching that might be contributing to the disengagement of students.

“…her findings indicate that engagement in self-assessment and self-reflection activities have an important impact on online studies and social interaction, which produce a significant engagement in problem-solving activities (Wang, 2017).”

I chose this because it is something that is valuable and easy to implement. Consistent student-self-evaluation activities is great so they can be in tune with their learning, their engagement, on what’s going well for them, what isn’t, and if there’s any support they need.

“Mazer (2013) found that teachers’ immediate positive behaviors stimulate emotional arousal in students, which leads to greater emotional interest and engagement…Moreover, students who experience heightened emotional interest pay attention to a subject because they are energized, excited, and emotionally engaged by how the materials are presented.”

This explains the emotional side of engagement which highlights that a teachers emotions are heavily reflected by students, which is important for teachers to be aware of, and when students are emotionally invested, or excited it increases engagement, which is something else teachers can help produce through their teaching techniques.

“…students who participate in intergroup competition significantly foster better students’ engagement, learning achievement, and creativity”

I chose this because it’s another easy style of teaching that can be implemented to improve engagement because it also fuels achievement.

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Website/Blog: Student Attitudes: Inspiring Examples for Growth and Success, January 2024

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Website/Blog: Student Attitudes: Inspiring Examples for Growth and Success, January 2024

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“Academic Success: A positive attitude towards learning is strongly linked to academic achievement. Students who have a growth mindset and are motivated to learn and improve are more likely to succeed academically.”

This explains basic knowledge about students and learning, and the perfect idea of a student that students strive to be and teachers strive to teach, which is informative of why its important students are motivated to learn

“Disengaged Detractors: Unfortunately, not all students have a positive attitude towards learning. Some students may exhibit a disengaged or negative attitude, showing little interest or involvement in their studies. These students may require additional intervention and support to re-ignite their interest and motivation.”

This is important to highlight, because no matter how innovative teaching techniques are or how much positive reinforcement there is, students might need extra help in order to be engaged and learn.

“Remember, every student is unique, and their attitudes may vary across different subjects and contexts. It’s important to create a safe and inclusive learning environment where students feel supported and empowered to develop a positive attitude towards their education.”

In the school classroom, all students are unique and learn differently, due to personal experience, and safe environments for students to engage is upmost important in schools.

“Disruptive behavior from students with negative attitudes can seriously disrupt the learning environment for everyone. It not only affects the student themselves but also creates a distraction for others, making it difficult for teachers to maintain an effective and focused classroom.”

It is essential to recognize for this issue, that environments in the classroom, and how students may engage in disruptive behavior affects engagement and teaching efficacy.

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Student Attitudes: Inspiring Examples for Growth and Success

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Hey there! Are you curious to know more about student attitudes? Well, you’ve come to the right place! In this article, I’ll be diving into some fascinating examples of student attitudes that you may have encountered or experienced yourself. From the motivated go-getters to the laid-back procrastinators, we’ll explore the wide range of attitudes that students bring to the table. So, buckle up and

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Journal Article: Teachers’ and Students’ Opinions About Students’ Attention Problems During the Lesson, September 2019

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Journal Article: Teachers’ and Students’ Opinions About Students’ Attention Problems During the Lesson, September 2019

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“…it can be seen that student expectations are mostly related with teachers (f: 112). The students expressed that they wanted their teachers to be more interested in them”

This explains that both teachers and students are wanting the other to be more interested in them, which is so interesting that they both feel the same way.

“According to the teachers, a low level of readiness of the students, learning difficulties, being in adolescence, having a lack of interest to the lesson, aimlessness and no motivation as well as coming to school without sleep, hungry and tired makes it difficult for them to collect their attention in the classroom”

This is a valuable insight from a teachers’ perspective that it isn’t just students not being engaged in classroom that is affecting teaching, but it is also their tiredness from life and being at school.

“The expectations of the teachers from the school management were to make the guidance services more functional (f: 6), to organize trainings to raise awareness of the parents (f: 5), to make educational activities for the students about school and classroom rules (f: 5) and to give the children various responsibilities within the school (f: 5)”

I wanted to highlight how teachers think management and parents should do more to help students learning in the classroom, because it isn’t just students and teachers who can contribute.

“Three of the students who expressed their expectations about using different methods and techniques appropriate to the level and making the lessons more interesting stated… “I would like our teachers to explain the lessons better and clearly” (Stu 712F6) and “Some teachers do not teach the lesson or teach above our level. This causes students to lose attention and so students do not like the lesson” (Stu450F7)”

This is coming from students’ perspective on the ways in which teachers can instruct better, and in a way that is more attention grabbing, and it is great insight to look at, because these students know their feelings best about their education.

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Teachers’ and Students’ Opinions About Students’ Attention Problems During the Lesson | Cicekci | Journal of Education and Learning | CCSE

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Teachers’ and Students’ Opinions About Students’ Attention Problems During the Lesson

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Journal Article: Models on Teaching Effectiveness in Current Scientific Literature, August 2021

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Journal Article: Models on Teaching Effectiveness in Current Scientific Literature, August 2021

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"The authors defined effective teachers as warm (instructors that are close and sympathetic towards their students); fair (if the evaluations and treatment they receive correspond to their effort and merits); flexible (if they are capable of varying the way they perform depending on the educational circumstances); and, finally, effective teachers are those who are clear when explaining and teaching."

This is important because it highlights the general attitudes of a teacher that are most effective in the classroom, and it seems to be characteristics that are understanding and nurturing according to students.

"Later, Reoyo, Carbonero, and Martín [30] identified eight characteristics directly related to teaching effectiveness: domain knowledge; planning and organization; class management and development; educational innovation; knowledge transmission; inter personal relationship; personal ethics; and professional commitment. Amongst these characteristics, interpersonal relationships emerges as the most significant skill, while personal ethics and educational innovation are the least relevant."

This shows that the most important aspects of teaching include a clear organized plan and interpersonal relationship skills, and personal ethics and innovation are actually the least relevant, which shows that effective teaching does not need to include any thorough explanation of personal teaching and education ethics or any crazy new style of teaching, which is extremely helpful.

"Ávalos [50] stated that when a teacher selectively fails to answer questions from some students, regularly answers learners with irony, or shows a degree of intermittent deafness to them, school failure occurs much more frequently."

I found this so interesting because I know I have personal experience with a teacher who never really answered my questions, and I think teachers properly and effectively answering questions without humor or ego is extremely helpful.

"The countries and educational administrations that undervalue teachers and hinder their professional performance find counteractive results, since they harm what they are longing for: quality education"

This line is important because it stresses that it is also so vital that there are tons of support and love within the administration for teachers to be able to teach effectively, because when they are undervalued is when they might experience emotional burnout and not teach well.

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Models on Teaching Effectiveness in Current Scientific Literature

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Knowing what defines ‘effective teaching’ contributes significantly to the appropriateness and validity of the instruction provided to pre-service teachers during their initial training. This may help them to perform as expert teachers before finishing their university training. This study aims to reflect upon the most significant models and theoretical contributions of each of the five most common methods for investigating teaching effectiveness in the current scientific literature. To that end, the main scientific sources within this field of study have been obtained on the Internet through the Web of Science (WoS), Scopus and ERIC. The sources were selected for their relevance to the topic, which was determined by assessing the citations generated by the academic works and the impact of the journals in which they were published. The results show that the key and most central factor salient in teaching quality is related to the teachers themselves and their training. Thus, any educational model that seeks educational excellence must focus foremost on ensuring care and respect for teaching professionals, beyond economic investment, resource availability, or any other factors.

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Journal Article: Motivation to learn: an overview of contemporary theories, September 2016

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Journal Article: Motivation to learn: an overview of contemporary theories, September 2016

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"At least four factors have been conceived as contributing to task value: a given topic might be particularly interesting or enjoyable to the learner (interest or intrinsic value); learning about a topic or mastering a skill might be perceived as useful for practical reason, or a necessary step toward a future goal (utility or extrinsic value); successfully learning a skill might hold personal importance in its own right or as an afﬁrmation of the learner’s self-concept (importance or attainment value); and focusing time and energy on one task means that other tasks are neglected(opportunity costs).”

According to expectancy-value theorists, motivation includes the belief one can do it, and the task must have perceived value for it, which is key insight into what motivates students to learn.

"Attributions directly inﬂuence expectancy of future success, and indirectly inﬂuence perceived value as mediated by the learner’s emotional response to success or failure."

This quote talks about Attribution Theory, which explains how people might have a conscious or subconscious attribution to the task, involving if they think they will fail or succeed, which influences how they treat the task. This explains motivation to learn further.

"Social-cognitive theory... contends that people learn through reciprocal interactions with their environment and by observing others, rather than simply through direct reinforcement of behaviors... As regards to motivation, the theory emphasizes that humans are not thoughtless actors responding involuntarily towards and punishments, but that cognition govern show individuals interpret their environment and self-regulate their thoughts, feelings and actions."

This is important in understanding that the mind has a lot of power over the will to learning, and that learning happens often through observation and interaction.

"With performance goals the primary concern is to do better than others and avoid looking dumb: ‘I want to get a good grade’. Mastery goals, by contrast, focus on the intrinsic value of learning (i.e. gaining new knowledge or skills."

This is another goal that looks at the types of goals people have, and how it might contribute to someone's motivation to learn, or how they go about it.

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Article: About One-Quarter of Public Schools Reported That Lack of Focus or Inattention From Students Had a Severe Negative Impact on Learning in 2023-24, July 2024

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Article: About One-Quarter of Public Schools Reported That Lack of Focus or Inattention From Students Had a Severe Negative Impact on Learning in 2023-24, July 2024

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"Twenty-six percent of public schools reported that a lack of focus or inattention from students had a “severe negative impact” on teacher and staff morale during the 2023-24 school year."

This emphasizes that the lack of learning and focus negatively impacts staff morale, which can then perpetuate the cycle.

"NCES data also show that 9 in 10 public schools that provided high-dosage tutoring rated it as being at least moderately effective in improving student outcomes during the 2023–24 school year."

This is something important to look at because, while we can also improve teaching in the classroom, we can also provide other outlets for learning like more tutoring and promote it more often.

"Students being academically unprepared for school (e.g., not doing homework, not bringing necessary supplies) brought down staff and teachers morale."

This is something else that is causing staff and teachers fail to teach affectively.

"Public school leaders were asked about what they needed to better support student behavior and development in May 2022 and in May 2024: The need for more training on classroom management strategies increased by 11% From May 2022 to 2024."

No matter how important it is to teach effectively, there are still going to be student behavior problems, so more knowledge for teachers on just how to manage behavior for a productive classroom is important.

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July 18, 2024
NCES data also show that 9 in 10 public schools that provided high-dosage tutoring rated it as being at least moderately effective in improving student outcomes during the 2023-24 school year

WASHINGTON (July 18, 2024) - Twenty-six percent of public school leaders reported that a lack of focus or inattention from students had a "severe negative impact" on learning at their school during the 2023-24 school year, according to data released today from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the statistical center within the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences. The new data shed light on student behavior in 2023-24, as well as on the types of tutoring that public schools provide to students and public school leaders' ratings of the tutoring's effectiveness. Forty-six percent of public schools reported providing high-dosage tutoring at any time during the 2023-24 school year, and 90 percent of these schools rated it as being "moderately," "very," or "extremely" effective in improving student outcomes.

"Schools continue to grapple with the ongoing impact the pandemic had on their students," said NCES Commissioner Peggy G. Carr. "Understanding the availability of tutoring, along with achievement data from the next 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress release, will provide deeper insights into students' progress toward learning recovery."

Below are a few highlights. All data released today can be found on the School Pulse Panel dashboard.

Twenty-six percent of public schools reported that a lack of focus or inattention from students had a "severe negative impact" on teacher and staff morale during the 2023-24 school year.

Eighty-seven percent of public schools reported having provided any type of tutoring to their students during the 2023-24 school year, and 47 percent of public schools reported having provided two or more types of tutoring.

Forty-five percent of public schools reported having confiscated some type of weapon (e.g., firearms, knives, Tasers, and explosive devices) from their students during the 2023-24 school year, and 57 percent of public schools reported confiscating some type of substance (e.g., tobacco, alcohol, drugs, and misused prescription drugs).

Thirty percent of public schools said that cyberbullying happened at least once a week or more frequently among students attending their school. This estimate includes both instances of cyberbullying that happened at school and instances away from school.

The findings released today are part of an experimental data product from the School Pulse Panel, NCES's innovative approach to delivering timely information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on public K-12 schools in the U.S. The data, collected between May 14 and 28, came from 1,714 participating public K-12 schools from every state and the District of Columbia.

Additional data collected from 98 public K-12 schools in the U.S. outlying areas-American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands-are also available. Results from this collection include the finding that 28 percent of outlying area public school leaders reported that a lack of focus or inattention from students had a "severe negative impact" on learning in the 2023-24 school year.

Experimental data products are innovative statistical tools created using new data sources or methodologies. Experimental data may not meet all of NCES's quality standards but are of sufficient benefit to data users in the absence of other relevant products to justify release. NCES clearly identifies experimental data products upon their release.
Key findings from the 50 states and Washington, DC
Student Behavior

Public school leaders were asked the extent to which they agreed or disagreed with statements related to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their students' behavioral and socioemotional development in May 2022 and May 2024.

In May 2024, 80 percent of public school leaders reported that they "agree" or "strongly agree" with the statement, "The COVID-19 pandemic and its lingering effects continue to negatively impact the behavioral development of students at my school." When asked a slightly different question in May 2022, 83 percent of public school leaders reported that they "agree" or "strongly agree" with the statement, "The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the behavioral development of students at my school."

In May 2024, 83 percent of public school leaders reported that they "agree" or "strongly agree" with the statement, "The COVID-19 pandemic and its lingering effects continue to negatively impact the socioemotional development of students at my school." When asked a slightly different question in May 2022, 87 percent of public school leaders reported that they "agree" or "strongly agree" with the statement, "The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the socioemotional development of students at my school."

Public school leaders were asked about how often different types of selected student behaviors occurred at their schools during the 2023-24 school year. The two most commonly reported student behaviors that public school leaders said happened at least once a week or more frequently were threats of physical attacks or fights between students (20 percent, with 12 percent reporting that attacks or fights actually happened at least once a week or more frequently) and bullying (18 percent).

Thirty percent of public schools said that cyberbullying happened at least once a week or more frequently among students attending their school. Twenty-one percent said that it happened at least once a month; 40 percent said that it happened on occasion; and 9 percent said that it never happened. These estimates include both instances of cyberbullying that happened at school and instances away from school.

Compared with the national estimate (11 percent), higher percentages of public schools with the following characteristics reported that cyberbullying happened daily among students attending their schools:

Having 1,000 or more students (22 percent)

Middle/combined schools (20 percent)

Compared with the national estimate (11 percent), a lower percentage of public elementary schools (5 percent) reported that cyberbullying happened daily among students attending their schools.

Public school leaders were also asked about how often different types of selected student behaviors directed at teachers or staff members occurred at their schools during the 2023-24 school year. The two most commonly reported student behaviors that school leaders said happened at least once a week or more frequently were student acts of disrespect towards teachers or staff members other than verbal abuse (36 percent) and student verbal abuse of teachers or staff members (17 percent).

Public school leaders were asked whether certain contraband items had been confiscated from their students during the 2023-24 school year. Forty-five percent of public schools reported having confiscated some type of weapon (e.g., firearms, knives, Tasers, and explosive devices), and 57 percent of public schools reported having confiscated some type of substance (e.g., tobacco, alcohol, illegal and prescription drugs). The three most commonly reported confiscated items were:

Tobacco products or paraphernalia (e.g., cigarettes or vaping products) (54 percent of public schools reported having confiscated these items)

Knives or other sharp objects that are used as a weapon (40 percent)

Illegal drugs or other drug paraphernalia (34 percent)

Public school leaders were asked about the extent to which certain student behaviors negatively impacted teacher and staff morale and learning at their schools during the 2023-24 school year. The table below displays the percentages of public schools reporting that these behaviors had a "severe negative impact" on teacher and staff morale and learning.

Severe negative impact on teacher and staff morale

Severe negative impact on learning

Students being academically unprepared for school (e.g., not doing homework, not bringing necessary supplies)

22%

21%

Students being disruptive in the classroom (e.g., calling out, talking to others during instruction, getting out of seat when not allowed, leaving classroom)

22%

19%

Students being physically unprepared for school (e.g., lack of sleep, not eating before school)

16%

18%

Students being disruptive outside of the classroom (e.g., yelling or running in the hallways or lunchroom)

6%

7%

Public school leaders were asked about what they needed to better support student behavior and development in May 2022 and in May 2024. The table below displays the percentages of public schools reporting these selected needs. *Statistically significantly different (p < .05) compared to May 2022.

Tutoring

In May 2024, 87 percent of public schools reported having provided any type of tutoring at any time during the school year, an increase from the 82 percent of public schools that had reported earlier in the 2023-24 school year, in October 2023, that students were provided tutoring. In May 2024, 47 percent reported having provided two or more types of tutoring. The table below displays the percentages of public schools that had provided various types of tutoring to their students as of October 2023 and May 2024. *Statistically significantly different (p < .05) compared to October 2023.

Public schools that provided tutoring were asked to rate how effective each of their tutoring program(s) had been in improving student outcomes during the 2023-24 school year. In May 2024, high-dosage tutoring was rated as being "very" or "extremely" effective by about half of schools providing it (52 percent). Fewer schools rated standard tutoring (27 percent), self-paced tutoring (17 percent), on-demand online tutoring (18 percent), and other tutoring (27 percent) as being "very" or "extremely" effective.

Technical Note

Statistics from sample surveys are subject to sampling and non-sampling error. All comparisons in this statistical press release have been tested and found to be statistically significant unless otherwise noted. NCES statistical tests are generally conducted at a 95 percent level of confidence.
Definitions of Tutoring Program Types

Standard tutoring was defined for respondents as a less intensive method of tutoring in which the same student(s) receive(s) tutoring

Any number of times per week OR on an as-needed (drop-in) basis,

In sessions with no minimum length of time,

In sessions that may be one-on-one or involve any number of other students, and

That is provided by educators who may or may not have received specific training in tutoring practices.

High-dosage tutoring (also known as evidence-based or high-quality tutoring) was defined for respondents as a method of tutoring in which the same student(s) receive(s) tutoring

Three or more times per week,

For at least 30 minutes per session,

In sessions that are one-on-one or with small groups,

That is provided by educators or well-trained tutors who have received specific training in tutoring practices,

That aligns with evidence-based core curriculum or programs, AND

Is NOT drop-in homework help.

Self-paced tutoring was defined for respondents as a method of tutoring in which a student works on their own, typically online, where they are provided guided instruction that allows them to move on to new material after displaying mastery of content.

On-demand online tutoring was defined for respondents as a method of tutoring in which a school partners with or contracts out services to an external online tutoring program or company that

Offers 24/7 support

Is led by qualified tutors (e.g., certified teachers, subject-matter experts), and

Is available on-demand for students to access.

Additional details regarding the methodology, including the survey questionnaire, may found on the School Pulse Panel methodology webpage.

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The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, is the statistical center of the U.S. Department of Education and the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education in the U.S. and other nations. NCES fulfills a congressional mandate to collect, collate, analyze, and report complete statistics on the condition and progress of American education; conduct and publish reports; and review and report on education activities internationally.
Follow NCES on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube and subscribe to the NCES Newsflash to receive email notifications when new data are released.
The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) is the independent and nonpartisan statistics, research, and evaluation arm of the U.S. Department of Education. Its mission is to provide scientific evidence on which to ground education practice and policy and to share this information in formats that are useful and accessible to educators, parents, policymakers, researchers, and the public.
CONTACT:
Josh De La Rosa, National Center for Education Statistics, ARIS.NCES@ed.gov

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Press Release - About One-Quarter of Public Schools Reported That Lack of Focus or Inattention From Students Had a Severe Negative Impact on Learning in 2023-24 - July 18, 2024

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Journal Article: Quality Teachers of the 21st Century: An Overview of Theories and Practice,  2020

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Journal Article: Quality Teachers of the 21st Century: An Overview of Theories and Practice,  2020

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"Cognitive information processing is used when the learner is actively involved in finding ways to understand and process information that he or she receives and relate it to what is already known and stored in the memory. In the classroom, this theory is applied when the learner engages in activities such as discussion. Cognitive information processing is used when the learner is actively involved in finding ways to understand and process information that he or she receives and relate it to what is already known and stored in the memory. In the classroom, this theory is applied when the learner engages in activities such as discussion and problem-solving. Problem-based tasks are given to students with the teacher assuming a facilitative role. The teacher coaches students to ask questions to gather information and analyze them to draw"

This shows us a theory of what effective learning is, and what we can implement to achieve that. That being cognition, and problems solving.

"Constructivism is based on the belief that learners work to create, interpret, and reorganise knowledge. Learners participate actively to reconcile the information they receive in the classroom with their existing knowledge, within the cultural and social contexts in which the ideas occur. Learners interact with people who are more knowledgeable than they are to increase their knowledge. These people include the teacher and the more knowledgeable students. Classroom activities which are normally organised in groups foster active learning. Students work cooperatively to effectuate meaningful learning."

This is a theory that shows that another important factor for learning is social and cultural contexts, and that through group activity, this is possible.

"Reflection involves critical thinking about past or current experience in the classroom. It involves questions regarding what was good or bad, what worked or did not work, what motivated students and the like that affect teaching and learning...Through inquiry, reflectivism brings about flexibility in teaching by helping the teacher examine the successes and failures in facilitating the learner’s knowledge construction."

This shows how reflection is great for learning, and if we make this a process we complete more often, we can boost engagement.

"Globalisation has widened the scope of knowledge. Learners are now faced with a wide spectrum of knowledge. With the rapid increase in knowledge, learners need to assess the worthiness of what is learned. The ability to synthesise and recognise connections in differing fields of knowledge is important. Learners need to form connections between sources of information and create useful information patterns to learn."

This touches on technology and how that has impacted learning, making it more difficult for kids to synthesize and understand information, which we can try to sharpen these skills, so learning is more effective.

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Student Opinion Article: How Well Do Rewards and Incentives Work to Motivate You?

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Student Opinion Article: How Well Do Rewards and Incentives Work to Motivate You?

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"For me, grading systems and attendance, for example, are the absolute worst. They suck all the fun out of learning and put people into boxes. Therefore, students often lose interest/motivation in school depending on how well they are doing. And school performance is completely individualized, based on a huge variety of factors, yet it continues to use the same mold system for everyone."

This shows how students think strict grading systems and having graded attendance make learning not as fun, which keeps them not unengaged. Shows how we might need to operate the school differently.

"An example of positive reinforcement: a teacher gives out a project and said its optional and whoever completes it will get extra credit, so some people will do the project as an opportunity to get extra credit."

This student explains that rewards are not effective, but positive reinforcement is, and extra credit is a great way to help keep students motivated.

"I agree with this when it comes to the rewards that school gives you. But I don’t agree with it when you get a reward that you actually want or have been trying to get for a long time."

This person thinks that plain incentives in school, like getting rewarded for attendance, do not make students more motivated in the long run, but that the further ideas of college is what motivate learning.

"Human beings are motivated by a mix of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. If one is not motivated by a physical reward or punishment, then there is self-satisfaction that is being rewarded."

This person thinks that there is a mix of both reward/incentive and internal self-motivation.

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School is full of carrots and sticks intended to motivate students to behave in a certain way. For example, grades, attendance awards, detention and the honor roll are all part of a system created to get students to show up to school on time, do homework, pay attention in class, study for tests and not break school rules.

How much do these extrinsic rewards and punishments motivate you? Or, do you find yourself more motivated not by external rewards, but by something internal that makes you want to do or achieve something for its own sake? What examples can you give?

In " Science Confirms It: People Are Not Pets," Alfie Kohn writes:

The field of social psychology is sometimes accused of doing no more than ratifying common sense, so it's worth paying attention when its findings are genuinely surprising. Case in point: the discovery that when we are rewarded for doing something, we tend to lose interest in whatever we had to do to get the reward.

This outcome has been confirmed scores of times with all sorts of rewards and tasks, and across cultures, ages and genders. Yet many teachers, parents and bosses persist in using versions of what has been called "sugarcoated control."

Psychologists often distinguish between intrinsic motivation (wanting to do something for its own sake) and extrinsic motivation (for example, doing something in order to snag a goody). The first is the best predictor of high-quality achievement, and it can actually be undermined by the second. Moreover, when you promise people a reward, they often perform more poorly as a result.

Mr. Kohn continues:

The best that carrots - or sticks - can do is change people's behavior temporarily. They can never create a lasting commitment to an action or a value, and often they have exactly the opposite effect ... contrary to hypothesis.

Working with people to help them do a job better, learn more effectively, or acquire good values takes time, thought, effort and courage. Doing things to people, such as offering them a reward, is relatively undemanding for the rewarder, which may help to explain why carrots and sticks remain stubbornly popular despite decades of research demonstrating their failure.

In the case of attendance, it's a lot easier - and much less threatening to those in positions of authority - to reward students and workers for showing up than it is to reconfigure schools and workplaces so that people are more likely to want to show up.

Students, read the entire article, then tell us:
- Do you agree with Mr. Kohn's premise, supported by research he cites in the Op-Ed, that carrots and sticks can never create a lasting commitment to an action or a value, and often they have exactly the opposite effect? Have you ever seen this play out in your own life, or in the lives of your friends?

- Can you think of a reward or punishment that motivated you to do something or not do something, in school or outside of school? Was the change in your behavior temporary, lasting as long as the carrot or stick was in effect? Or, do you think the extrinsic motivation (for example, the award, prize or grade) actually did make a lasting change in your commitment or values?

- What carrots and sticks exist in your school? Can you think of any that you might change or eliminate after reading this Op-Ed? Can you think of any that seem to work, and that you would want to keep? Why?

- What do you think of the penultimate paragraph in the Op-Ed: "Working with people to help them do a job better, learn more effectively or acquire good values takes time, thought, effort and courage. Doing things to people, such as offering them a reward, is relatively undemanding for the rewarder, which may help to explain why carrots and sticks remain stubbornly popular despite decades of research demonstrating their failure." Do you agree? Share your thoughts.
Students 13 and older are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

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How Well Do Rewards and Incentives Work to Motivate You?

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School is full of carrots and sticks intended to motivate students to behave in a certain way. For example, grades, attendance awards, detention and the honor roll are all part of a system created to get students to show up to school on time, do homework, pay attention in class, study for tests and not break school rules.

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Journal Article: Promoting Student Engagement in the Classroom 

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Journal Article: Promoting Student Engagement in the Classroom 

# data[].attributes.body
I have not given, received, or used any unauthorized assistance. This work is mine.