Rewarding Effort in the Classroom

1. Renee Clear
Ball State University
Rewarding Effort: Signs of Achievement
BEA IGNITE

2. Rewarding effort:
Signs of achievement
Renee Clear
Assistant Professor
Journalism Graphics, Ball State University

3. We reward and encourage
effort in the elementary
classroom, but by the
time they get to college,
effort takes a backseat to
grades and graduation.

4. Does effort
have a place
in
measuring
success the
college
course?
●Research indicates that increasing effort,
increases achievement
●Effort defined as class attendance,
attentiveness, engagement, and
completing homework can drive that
increase achievement up to 15% at any
academic level (Carbonaro, 2005)
●The “wax on, wax off” effect – practice,
practice, practice makes students proficient
#1

5. Does effort
have a place
in
measuring
success the
college
course?
●Research indicates that valuing effort,
increases agency which can increase
engagement which significantly predicts
academic achievement (Reeve & Tseng,
2011)
●When effort is valued, students give more
consideration to choices about where, when,
how, and how much effort to dedicate to a
task and are more likely to engage
#2

6. Does effort
have a place
in
measuring
success the
college
course?
●Research indicates that increasing
effort, increases positive affective
behavior.
●Effort encourages positive interaction
with teachers which is beneficial to
academic achievement as well as
teacher satisfaction (Cornelius-White,
2007)
#3

7. Does effort
have a place
in measuring
success the
college
course?
Yes!
Its’ good for their
learning and our
teaching evaluations

8. How do you
reward effort
and make it
meaningful?
A few “signs”
you are doing
it right.
Make it a
limited
part of
grades
Make it a
basis for
other
rewards

9. Make effort a
part of grades.
This one is
tricky.

10. Following directions
is a good thing.
It could save your life.
Or job.

11. ●Effort as 5-15% of
an assignment grade
●
Students should be deadline
driven
●Students should follow
directions
●Employers like this
Will it get
them an A?
Only if they
already have
a high B.

12. Make effort a
way to earn
extra rewards.
This one is fun.

13. Attendance:
making the
effort,
earning points
Correlation between attending class and academic
success
Attendance is considered “making an effort” in much
of the research
Instead of taking attendance, put students in the
driver’s seat
Students learn at the beginning of each class period
the “Word for the day” and type it in Canvas within 5
minutes
Attending and self-reporting the word of the day
earns points toward rewards
30 classes total for the semester reward: After 10
attendances, 5% added to assignment or quiz of
choice

14. Class notes:
making the
effort,
earning points
Follows with
attendance, each
class period,
students take note
of three key points
they learned.
Like attendance,
Canvas is set up to
receive these notes
in a short time
window after class.
Again, set up a
reward. After
everyone turns in 10
class notes (in a
semester of 30
classes), sodas and
candy and carrots
provided by me.
This not only
encourages them
take notes, but also
let’s me know what
they are picking up
(or NOT) in class

15. Daily
challenges:
making the
effort,
earning
points
One question is
posted every day,
M-F
10 minutes to do,
question is
available for 24
hours
Reinforce course
lectures and
content in a fun
way
They decide when
to do it – it could
be 11pm!
Points toward an
assignment or a
reward

16. All the
points!
●Enough points from grades and effort points = skip
the final exam

18. Renee Human Clear
rmhuman@bsu.edu