Using Rewards Effectively Laura Alger EDUC 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 LevelType of Reward K-1 st Gold stars, stickers 2-3Lollipops, small plastic toys minutes extra recess 6-7Permission to attend a pizza party on Friday 8-9Permission to go on an extra field trip 10-11Permission to attend a “beach day” 12Permission 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 ) “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 IV and 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.