There are two types of rewards -- task-contingent and performance-contingent. Task-contingent rewards are usually given just for completing a task. Performance-contingent rewards are usually given based on a student's actual performance on a task.
I think another argument in this module is very important to take away as future teachers -- not all rewards will help students. In fact, some rewards can be harmful to a student's education or motivation. Teachers need to know their students and know what will benefit or hurt them.
One question I have is how much is too much (in terms of rewards)? Should you praise a student every single time they do something right, or would that be overkill? At the same time, how do you know if you're not giving students enough rewards?
According to the theory you know so far, why are new things like videogames, youtube, and facebook motivating? What extrinsic factors are there at play?
- Video games and other technologies are both internally and externally motivating. They are internal because they are enjoyable, so kids play them just for the sake of playing them. Video games can also be external when you move up in levels, earn points, etc.
I thought about your question too: I feel like you can never praise a child too much- Children are always looking for confirmation and acknowledgement. But maybe it would be too much if you always praised the child for the same thing. The article provided us with good examples of when to praise so we weren't always praising for just being smart. Children do so many awesome things there are surely ways to keep praising them for those.
ReplyDeleteI feel that rewards should be given at times where students may not be expecting it so that they feel like they are actually doing something right in the classroom and they will want to get rewards more often so they decide to start making more of an effort, concentrating more, and trying to improve their skills. If rewards are given too easily to students, than it is overkill and they will not try as hard and motivation will be lost. Students will be more motivated if rewards are given for efforts made rather than students doing things they are expected.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you think that older students are motivated by external factors? I'm sure it's not true that this is a biological/developmental change. Think about what changes in the environment, or what happens over time to cause this.
ReplyDeleteI like your point of understanding the costs and benefits of rewards. I think too much praise is definitely possible--it's just another reward, right? I think the line where it becomes too much would be if you can see that students are becoming AT ALL dependent on the praise to complete a task. Any dependence on extrinsic motivators is probably something to be avoided, since we know it will decrease intrinsic motivation.