Using Rewards Effectively

Laura AlgerEDUC 4400 sec. 601

Summer Session I 2012

What is a Reward? Rewards are incentives (tangible or intangible)

students are given or earn for engaging in or completing an activity.

Examples: Intangible: praise, grades, honor roll Tangible: stickers, candy, money, tokens,

3 types of rewards Concrete: using physical items that are given to

student Stickers, candy, certificates

Social: using interpersonal signs of approval with student Verbal praise, encouragement, constructive feedback,

pat on the back. Activity: using wanted, popular activity as a reward

for desired behavior. Extra time on playground, line leader or other

‘positive’ classroom helper, eat lunch with principal.

What is a Reinforcer? A reinforcer is an outcome that increases the

occurrence of a behavior that precedes it. (based on Skinner’s operant conditioning theory)

Reinforcers can be positive or negative. Positive reinforcers occur when something desirable is

given/presented to a student and it increases the occurrence of a behavior.

Negative reinforcers occur when something negative is taken away/removed from a child, and it increases the occurrence of a behavior.

Types of Reinforcers Negative reinforcement example:

A student is given a “free pass” and doesn’t have to take a quiz on Friday because he achieved a 90 or higher on an assignment.

Positive reinforcement example: A student is given a sticker/hand stamp when they

complete a task in classroom.

Types of Reinforcers (continued)

Primary reinforcers: satisfy a basic need; including hunger and thirst. Example: students are given popsicles after

completing a test. Secondary reinforcers: increase the

occurrence of behavior because student values the reinforcer. Example: verbal praise, name on honor roll.

So… you ask…”What is the difference between a reward

and a reinforcer?” “When rewards are valued by students, rewards may

serve as positive reinforcers. That is, they usually increase the likelihood of behavior occurring again. However….rewards do not necessarily increase behaviors; in fact, at times they may actually lead to decreases in certain behaviors.” (p. 32)

Positive reinforcers = rewards But,

Rewards aren’t always positive reinforcers!

“The distinction lies in whether the targeted behavior actually increases as intended.” (p.32)

Examples of grade-level rewards (p. 34)

Grade Level Type of RewardK-1st Gold stars, stickers2-3 Lollipops, small plastic toys4-5 15 minutes extra recess6-7 Permission to attend a pizza party

on Friday

8-9 Permission to go on an extra field trip

10-11 Permission to attend a “beach day”

12 Permission to skip final exams at end of the year

Characteristics of Rewards:Is the reward informational or

controlling? Rewards are either Informational or controlling contingent on

if they are to: enhance learning (informational) manage behavior (controlling).

Informational rewards give student feedback regarding her behavior/learning/skill and increase positive motivational belief/self-efficacy in students. Example: Art teacher praises student for subtle use of a

color in a part of a drawing. Controlling rewards are given upon completion of a task or

achieving a certain level and has questionable motivational outcomes. Example: Students receive a sticker only after reciting their

address in 30 seconds.

Praise as a reward To be effective, praise must:

Be specific to student accomplishment Recognize effort and ability Praise is contingent upon specific behavior/skill Compares present behavior/skill to previous level

MUST NOT be: general (good job), compare to other students/classmates, (you did better than the rest of the class), focused on teacher/controlling ( you did what I told you to do), no attention to effort (I made it an easy test).

Extrinsic Rewards & Intrinsic Motivation

Extrinsic Rewards may have negative effects on student motivation; decreased effort, academic shortcuts, less cognitive engagement.

Example: a reward is given to students just for doing a task. Students may decrease the level of effort because they get a reward regardless of the amount of effort given to task.

Rewards & Overjustification

Another negative effect of extrinsic rewards is Overjustification.

Overjustifaction occurs when a student is working on an intrinsically motivating activity and receives a reward; this can lead to a decrease in future intrinsic motivation for same task.

The reward “overjustifies” his reasons to engage in activity. When reward is removed there is no justification for him to continue with the task; his intrinsic motivation decreases.

Rewards & Creativity Extrinsic Rewards may result in less

creative students.

Why? Students are focused on finishing the task, its risky to be creative and may result in a lower grade, if rubric/grading scale doesn’t mention creativity the student may skip this factor and focus on items that are graded.

Rewards & Self-determination theory

Self-determined behaviors occur when there are choices, independently produced by the student, and without external controls.

Extrinsic rewards that are controlling remove the chance for self-determination if they are expected.

If students receive the external reward unexpectedly after completion of task, self-determination can still occur. Example: A teacher who rewards students for superior

grades on an exam with a pizza party after the exam and without their knowledge ahead of time does not negatively effect intrinsic motivation or self-determination.

Unfavorable Rewards: a.k.a

Punishment Two types of punishment:

Presentation punishment: present something unfavorable after a behavior (example: detention, moving your popsicle stick from ‘green’ to ‘yellow’ then to ‘red’ resulting in a note home to parent)

Removal punishment: remove something valuable to student after a behavior (example: recess, computer time)

Punishment vs. Negative

reinforcement Negative reinforcement leads to increase

in behavior, while punishment leads to decrease in behavior.

Negative reinforcement results in something undesirable being taken away, ex: a student does not have to take a unit exam because she made all A’s on the quizzes in this unit.

Why avoid punishment?

Skinner noted “that the use of punishment in schools can lead to undesirable side effects, such as anxiety, anger, and negative feelings toward the teacher”(p. 44).

Consider punishment carefully… (p. 44-46)

“Any form of punishment should be used rarely and judiciously” (p. 44).

-frequent and haphazard use of punishments can backfire on teachers-some intended punishments may not be perceived as aversive to some students-what is intended as a punishment, may actually serve as a reward to some students

Recommendations when deciding on Rewards (p. 47) :

Only offer rewards for activities that students aren’t already doing.

Make rewards potentially available to all students. Reward students for effort or improvement. Rewards should be informational. Rewards should not be perceived as controlling. Consider whether rewards should be presented

privately or publicly. Use praise effectively. Consider whether a reward is truly a reward.

Helpful Hints… Carefully examine why and for what reasons

and purposes you are using rewards.

Plan the specifics (how, when, what) of using your rewards.

Be consistent, intentional, organized, well thought out and planned when using rewards.

Use of extrinsic rewards and Speech

Therapy When students (K-5) return their completed speech homework they receive a sticker to put on their “Star Chart” which hangs on the bulletin board in speech room. Once the chart is full, the student gets a trip to the treasure chest to pick out a small, plastic toy to keep.

While practicing speech sounds the student gets to take a turn on the board game. Example: student picks a card from the articulation

deck. Student says target sound 10 times. Student then gets to take a ‘whack’ at the game Break The Ice.

NC Professional Teaching Standards (NCPTS) :

Standard IV: Teachers facilitate learning for their students. Teachers know the ways in which learning

takes place, and they know the appropriate levels of intellectual, physical, social, and emotional development of their students.

NCPTS Standard IVand Rewards

Teachers know how students think and learn, and teachers understand the influences that affect individual student learning. This would include influences on student learning such as external rewards.

Being aware of what motivates/influences individual and/or groups of students to include external rewards may be beneficial to a teacher to employ within the classroom setting so as to facilitate student learning.

NC Essential Standards (NCES):

K.SE.1 Remember safety and ethical issues related to the responsible use of information and technology resources. Identify examples of use and care of

technology hardware and software. Remember internet safety rules Recognize the importance of respect for

the work of others.

NCES K.SE.1 Rewards &

Punishments The Teacher-Librarian would monitor and be aware of

students computer usage to include correct use of and the misuse of technology/computers in the media center.

Any misuse of a computer’s hardware/software would result with removing student from the computer for a pre-determined amount of time (punishment)

Correct usage of computers result in the continued use or/more time spent on the popular computer technology and equipment (reward)

REFERENCES Anderman, E.M. and Anderman, L.H.

(2010). Using rewards effectively. Classroom Motivation. New York: Pearson.