Motivation and Assessment

Conventional wisdom would have us believe that

the main purpose of assessment is as a stick to

force students to learn.

The customary response “Yes” to the question

“Will this be on the test?” was all that was

necessary to encourage student effort.

Changing Beliefs

Since the 1940s we have known that connections between student motivation and assessment were far more complex and that ‘holding the test over students heads’ was a crude way to encourage students to learn.

Motivation as a needs response

Two well accepted theories tell us that student’s response to assessment is based on their personal needs. Maslow & Alderfer tell us that first certain basic needs must be met, relational needs come next, and finally growth needs come into play.

Translation

If we want accurate results when we assess students we:

Cannot scare them into achievingMust develop positive student-teacher relationshipsMust make students feel they belongPromote positive student self esteem Help students feel competentProvide appropriate positive affirmations

Motivation through Satisfaction

Herzberg found that motivating people by

increasing satisfaction had two important but different sets of factors. The purpose of the first set is to ‘fix’ things that make them dissatisfied. When we do so we encourage adequate performance.

To get excellent performance we must tap into a second set of very different behavioural factors – ones that inspire people to go beyond being satisfied.

Rocket Analogy

Translation

The ‘hygiene’ factors are a platform we need to satisfy students. Without them we cannot get learning ‘off the ground’. Think of the platform as factors needed to encourage students to seek a satisfactory grade. To encourage a student to seek the highest possible grade we need to tap into the ‘motivators’ that make the rocket ‘soar’.

Our instructional and assessment decisions must be based upon both sets of factors.

Basis for Assessment Decisions

McGregor’s theories relate to the mental models we use when dealing with people.

A theory X teacher sees students as lazy, unable to accept responsibility, and needing

pressure to perform.

A theory Y teacher sees student as enthusiastic, responsible, and committed to perform well.

Translation

Theory X teachers believe that rewards and punishments are necessary to motivate students. Assessment is the ultimate tool to ‘make’ students learn.

Theory Y teachers believe that students are intrinsically motivated to learn. Assessment

is an important tool to support and measure student learning.

Motivational Urges

Human behaviour is affected by three basic urges – achievement, power, and affiliation

Achievement motivation – urge to do things better and set challenging goals.

Power motivation – urge to have some control and have a positive effect on their organization.

Affiliation motivation – urge to fit in and be liked by others.

Translation

Some students see assessment as a challenge and set high goals for learning. Fair feedback on their performance is the motivator.

Some students see assessment and its results as a way to influence their lives. Self-esteem is the motivator.

Some students see assessment and its results as a way to fit in with others. Fitting in within a supportive environment is the motivator.

Goal Setting

Goal setting is an important way to increase performance.

Effective goals should be:

specific and clear realistic and challenging gauged by appropriate feedback

Translation

Students who set learning goals are more likely to perform better.

Effective assessment begins with encouraging students to set learning goals.

We need to provide students with clear targets so they

can set realistic but challenging goals.

We need to provide appropriate feedback on their performance and encourage them to monitor their progress.

Equity

People are motivated when they believe that life is fair

and people are treated equally.

People compare themselves and their situations to others to determine fairness.

People who believe they are being treated unfairly will

respond by making excuses, changing their inputs or outputs, or by quitting.

Translation

Assessment must be ‘perceived as fair’ and students must feel they are treated equally.

Students will compare their assessment results with other students. We need to be sure that our grading is based on clear criteria that are measurable and defensible.

If assessments are perceived as unfair students will, lower their efforts, lower their expectations, or simply stop trying.

Expectation of Success

People are motivated by outcomes.

Three factors that motivate us are:

how much we want the outcome

whether we believe our efforts will lead to improvement

faith that improved performance will lead to achieving the outcome

Translation

Students are motivated by success.

Before assessing students we need to be sure they

value what we are teaching and assessing.

As we interact with students we need show them

that their efforts do lead to improvement

When students show improvement, their grades

should reflect this improvement.