A study carried out 25 years ago explored the impact that summative formal assessments (examinations and tests) can have on student motivation and their focus to learn in the short term, seeing the assessment and result as the end point, rather than valuing and engaging in deep and genuine learning experiences (Kellaghan, Madaus, and Raczek, 1996). This research was preceded in 1985 in a study which coined the phrases ‘intrinsic and extrinsic motivation’ (Deci & Ryan, 1985). Students who possess ‘extrinsic’ motivation often engage in shallow learning and study habits such as rote learning. Three decades have almost passed since this research but it is still a focus for educational institutes today and supports our work here at BIS Hanoi in ensuring we equally value skills for learning and most importantly the effort required to learn effectively.
Student effort refers to the energy and determination that students demonstrate in a classroom environment.
Intrinsic motivation focuses on the feeling of satisfaction derived from a learning activity.
Extrinsic motivation focuses on the reward nature of an outcome, for example external examination results.
Learning agility requires individuals to be able to think deeply across a number of challenges. Those that show success in this particular skill regularly demonstrate the following:
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Embrace the challenge of the unfamiliar
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Take on a new challenge that scares you
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Don’t get stuck on first solutions