School, for many of us, is the foundation of our very aspirations and goals. And in a world increasingly oriented around statistics, it seems almost natural for students to use a similar means to seek a concrete assurance to achieve these: namely, grades. However, it has often been questioned whether this system itself contributes to a lack of intrinsic motivation towards our learning due to the inevitable pressure it gives so many. Moreover, with an increased prevalence of mental health problems within school-aged students, reflecting on this has perhaps never felt more urgent.
Through a haze of assignments, looming deadlines and strenuous exam seasons, it is often rare that we take a step back and think about why we work ourselves so hard. Does the prospect of learning actually excite us? According to psychological research, natural curiosity is two core drives in the right side of our brain: Core Drive 7 (Unpredictability and Curiosity) and Core Drive 3 (Empowerment of Creativity and Feedback). In short, each of us are born with a natural intrinsic motivation for the exploration of the world around us and application of knowledge- something incredible that is arguably acknowledged too little by us all. It is undoubtedly the reason for the many developments continuing to take place in a range of fields from technological advancements to new and intriguing concepts explored within theater. It can therefore be said that the overall intention of education is to foster a similar curiosity within a younger generation as a means of enhancing futures.
Perhaps this then causes us to ask ourselves why the idea of studying can so often induce a nagging and all-too-familiar reluctance. Recent studies have shown that out of 4,000 students 31% no longer enjoy their learning; with two in three teachers within the UK reporting having to give significantly more mental health support as a result of work-related stress. Whilst this may shock us, a reason for it is arguably the way in which grading can shift pleasure gained from discovery into a more extrinsic direction: a struggle to prove oneself rather than perceiving all situations as opportunities for growth.
It cannot be ignored that during the moments before an exam, or before the submission of an important assignment what we feel is often not satisfaction towards our revision or hard work but a sense of trepidation. A nervousness which is in fact, counterproductive due to its obstruction of logical thinking. This is damaging to our motivation as a whole due to the damaging physical symptoms it induces such as sweating and a quickened heart rate, and what makes this worse is its cause: the prospect of demonstrating what we already know. Moreover, with school life being centered around exams as a means of tracking progress, many feel the compulsion to spend many hours revising for these in addition to homework. It is a consequent lack of time to fully relax which builds up into more detrimental long term impacts on our mental and physical health such as irritability, burnout and depression.
Arguably, a reason for this is that from a young age, it is emphasized to us that doing well at school is a necessity in order to sustain ourselves in future careers. As a means of assessment, the word ‘well’ for many is defined by the certain number at the corner of exam papers, rather than an objective consideration upon where to improve. Consequently, grades are often perceived as judgements of self-worth or even talent which incites a feeling of helplessness after having underachieved. In contrast, many feel a constant pressure to maintain performance after having received a good grade, in fear of ‘letting oneself down’. In many cases, this causes a subconscious demotivation, with the mind perceiving learning as harmful rather than engaging. This perhaps explains the stimulation of a fear response within the brain when revising or even conducting a piece of school-related research, regardless of previous levels of interest towards this.
With the definition of achievement increasingly becoming the grades we see on our reports rather than our personal feelings of fulfillment, we often start to learn in a way which can be counterproductive. This is because a mental response of urgency and purpose can in many cases only be seen during defining moments such as exams. This results in many students only studying in a duration before a test, and subconsciously dismissing the knowledge they have gained as ‘irrelevant’ afterwards. School-aged students on average, for example, forget up to 80% of content, which hinders progress and can be seen to trap us in a cycle of demotivation.
Many argue that the problem lies within a widespread culture of placing an emphasis upon grades within schools themselves. This can be seen prevalently between teachers and students alike- many beginning to undermine themselves as a result of a fear of failure. Nevertheless, whilst numerical grades are inevitable in order to track progress, this issue is something which can, in other ways, be solved. For example, even a greater shift in focus of teachers whilst reflecting on exams towards evaluative feedback can alleviate a feeling of helplessness and cause students to feel that they have more autonomy over their improvement. This is crucial as a means of metacognition as students are more willing to frequently revisit content. Even during lessons moreover, reflecting upon the relevance of content in our daily lives, rather than as a course specification may spark more fascination. An optimistic learning environment can, in this way, be established, motivating students to not only make their corrections but feel as though their work is of value, which may encourage the research and fostering of new interests.
Thinking of my question as a whole it can be said that, yes- the summarisation of effort, progress and undeniably fascinating content into a mere system of numbers is an inherently flawed assessment. However, the statement itself can be seen as oversimplified. Arguably the crux of an overwhelming demotivation lies within an inclination to see grades as judgements of our futures and potentials; almost making our very passions feel insignificant in comparison. With support from family members, teachers and peers, a much more open view to our strengths and weaknesses can be adopted. This allows us to perceive setbacks as growth opportunities rather than detrimental; and in turn to see education in itself as not just a compulsion but something which powers the curiosity found in our very Core Drives.
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