Reinforcing Effort and Providing Recognition

Research shows that reinforcing effort and providing recognition are also effective instructional strategies under certain conditions.

Rewards should:
- be contingent on performance standards
- be abstract/verbal rather than tangible
- be timely and
- include feedback.

In addition, students must believe they can succeed and understand the relationship between effort and success. Teachers need to provide examples of situations where they or someone known to the students succeeded because of their willingness to commit the effort needed to accomplish their goal.

Students also need opportunities to track the relationship between effort and success. Comparing scores on an effort rubric and a related achievement rubric can help create a visual representation of the positive effect of effort.

So how can technology help?

Microsoft Word features can help teachers provide feedback, create personalized certificates of achievement and rubrics to set clear benchmarks. Students can use Micosoft Office tools to analyze their work and track progress.

Response systems and carefully selected online games or surveys can be used to allow students to compare their progress against a larger group and/or provide immediate feedback.

Video conferencing is a good way to get input from an "expert" in the field or learn more about the effort required to become knowledgable/successful in a chosen area.

Technology tools can also be utilized to share work acknowledging that a student has met their goal.

What recommendations would you make about the power of reinforcing effort and providing recognition?

Let's rethink the possibilities.

Based on content found in:
Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement written by Robert Marzano, Debra Pickering, and Jane Pollock
Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works written by Howard Pilter, Elizabeth R. Hubbell, Matt Kuhn and Kim Malenoski