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Subject: Re: Assignment #2 Author: Jennifer de Wit [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] Date Posted: 23:24:37 06/14/10 Mon In reply to: Dr. M-J 's message, "Assignment #2" on 19:25:40 06/11/10 Fri I worked for a number of years as a librarian in a private elementary school. Most of the children came from upper middle class homes in which education was valued. A few years ago the school adopted the Accelerated Reader program. This program has children read on certain levels and then take simple computer tests. Receiving high scores can be motivating for some children, especially the competitive ones. However, the effect that I began to notice was that because the children were required to accumulate a certain number of points, many of them began to learn how to manipulate the system. They learned that they could read more "easy" books and accumulate points quickly. They would basically ask me to give them the thinnest books with the most points. The result of the point system was that the internal reward of reading for pleasure was replaced with external rewards. Motivation became extrinsic rather than intrinsic. I'm not sure that using the program ultimately leads to the development of "readers", which should be the goal. So trying to shape readers by giving points (and sometimes toys for the points) did result in more reading, but the quality of the reading did not necessarily improve. Of course, this is a generalization, and the results were not the same in all of the children. But I did see this trend. [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

Subject Author Date Re: Assignment #2 Jessika Morris 18:17:17 06/15/10 Tue Re: Assignment #2 -- Jennifer de Wit, 19:10:36 06/15/10 Tue