Motivational Significance Of Evaluation example essay topic

Everybody is questioning the effectiveness and fairness of the traditional way of evaluation. Especially methods like multiple choice where the line between real knowledge learned by students and the ability to answer these kinds of test is really thin. The discussion about the fairness is quite obvious if we think that a province like Alberta has provincial exams for all students without considering special learners or particular focuses and interests of students. However we have to agree that evaluation has its own values and the knowledge of them will enrich the discussion about the establishment of new forms of evaluation based on fairness and effectiveness. The motivational significance of evaluation is mostly related with the way its address basic psychological needs like motivation that constitutes an inseparable part of the educational situation. For the purpose of this discussion we will categorize the values at work in learning situation into four groups: Intrinsic values of learning, linked to the need for mastery and control of environment.

Values connected with self-image. Social values associated with approval or censure of significant figures. Values related with rewards and punishment Intrinsic values The criticism to which evaluation in school has been subjected has focused its extrinsic values and ignored its intrinsic ones. Studies have proved that students are very much interested in having their performance evaluated. Psychologists accept the premise that the individual harbors a basic need of evaluation of his ability and knowledge. There is a strong bound between evaluation, performance and evaluation.

The greater the significance attributed to the expected evaluation, the higher motivation. Evaluation helps students to address a basic need for social comparison. There are two kinds of information given through evaluation: comparison with others and self-comparison. Research has shown that when the individual is ambiguous about how to evaluate himself, he does in fact compare him self with others. Values connected with self-image The need for cognitive clarity drives a person towards self-examination, social comparison and the need for self-enhancement.

Success in school is central for self-image young people in our society, and school grades are the clearest expressions of this success. The student who seeks enhance himself will make an effort to achieve high grades and avoid low ones. Indeed, if the student is not satisfied with his auto evaluation he will seek an outside evaluation to satisfy his need of enhancement. Social value of the grades The implications of evaluation for cognitive knowledge and level of self-esteem are unquestionable. Alongside these, the approval or censure product of the grades itself by significant figures in the student's social life. The motivational effects related to social approval will be stronger the more the individual relegates importance to regard of other.

This behavior obviously will vary according to age, sex, and educational and social level. Parents' approval, for example, will be most important in the primary grades. The approval of teachers and peers grows in importance during the school years, and particularly by the end of elementary the approval has a lot of weight. It also appears that teachers' approval it seems to be more important for girls than boys and for good students than weaker students, especially in elementary. Values related with reward and punishment Rewards and punishment are inevitable resultants of evaluation. Even when the grade is not accompanied with a specific reward or punishment, there is a tacit one.

A high grade usually comes along with the approval of the social group, or with more free time to pursue own affairs. More importantly, the long term implications of good grades are matter like better high schools, better universities or good employment prospective. As we can see in this small brief of the values associate with evaluation there are basic values associated with it. The necessity of find alternative methods of evaluation, which can include and satisfy all the students, is fact.

However we cannot forget that evaluation address basic needs like motivation, social approval, necessity of comparison and self-esteem, thus whatever it will be the new methods of evaluation must address these basic needs.