- John Tupper
- Santa Clara, CA
- United States
Creator / Founder, ABoxOf
This conversation is closed.
The Khan Academy in using points and badges for rewards is not fostering its main objective to teach mastery of the subject.
Isn't learning something new the reward in its self? Studies are now coming out that seem to question what gives us our drive to learn and achieve. Using outward rewards (extrinsic) like points and badges can harm learning because it puts a nonessential element in the mix. It confuses the whole point of the lesson to strive for stickers, stars, badges, and points. That is not what we really want to teach!
These carrots and sticks seem to be a fun way of rewarding learning but they can de-motivate and harm the true point of the lesson. Growing as a person, the internal feeling of simply mastering a new skill (intrinsic reward) far outweighs any extrinsic reward and is the true motivator.
Please take this into consideration before expanding the wonderful teaching model.