The use of these systems can enhance students' participation in instructional activities. However, to use token systems effectively, the system must be individualized and tailored to meet the needs of the child. In order to individualize the token system for each student, teachers should (1) identify an array of back-up reinforcers for the…

While it may seem almost intuitive that offering rewards to students will yield better results, that is not how it works; the result often is the opposite. The paradox of rewards is that their effect often has a limited impact on students, who then will lose curiosity; it also makes them feel as if they are being controlled--a negative motivating…

Motivation is a complicated issue. There are myriad reasons why people choose to do what they do. For example, employees usually work for money, students study to earn grades, heart attack victims learn that when they diet they will live longer--the list of extrinsic motivators is endless. Conversely, there are things people do just for the…

A growing body of literature has been examined and discussed the effects of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation on student learning at the college level. Intrinsically motivated individuals have been able to develop high regards for learning various types of course information without the inclusion of external rewards or reinforcements. In…

Special educators frequently provide consultation for parents and general education teachers who are struggling to manage student behavior. One intervention often discussed is the use of rewards to increase student motivation. While research has shown that well-designed incentive systems can provide an effective intervention, poorly designed…

This paper aims at exploring how faculty research behaviour changes before, during, and after promotion. Testing research hypotheses generated from behavioral reinforcement theory and an alternative claim on the learning effect of familiarity with publishing norms, the study collects career history data and longitudinal records on faculty research…

Describes a South Carolina elementary school principal's program for decreasing discipline referrals and creating a positive school environment. The Great Behavior program involves weekly drawings and prizes for well-behaved students and an end-of-school party and pie-throwing event. Following a first-year 47 percent reduction in discipline…

Briefly reviews the research literature concerning the overjustification effect. The effect describes the situation where positive reinforcement reduces one's intrinsic motivation for a behavior, thereby decreasing the probability that the behavior will be repeated. Notes the limitations of this explanation and recommends a broader representation…

Reviews research into the effects of praise on students. Suggests an approach that gets students to focus on their potential to learn, to value challenge, and to concentrate on effort and learning processes in the face of obstacles. This can all be done while holding students to rigorous standards. (SLD)

Describes the development and implementation of Lee Canter's Assertive Discipline model, noting its use at Takoma Park (MD) Elementary School and the reaction of parents, students, and teachers. Supporters stress that it puts teachers in charge, rewarding good behavior and punishing bad, but critics call it dehumanizing, humiliating, and…

An elementary physical education teacher describes a successful behavior improvement program implemented at his school. Students earned points (tokens) for good behavior and physical education achievement. They lost points for inappropriate behavior. Donated prizes were awarded based on accumulated points. (IAH)

In earlier studies with rats, the effectiveness of the auditory element of a tone--light discriminative stimulus was enhanced when the conditioned incentive value of the compound was negative rather than positive. The present experiment systematically replicated these results in pigeons trained to press a treadle in the presence of a tone--light…

Describes the efforts of the Sara Lee Corporation in adopting an urban Chicago high school in order to encourage good grades. Professional football player Willie Gault's role as academic team "captain" is discussed. Program elements such as business education class speakers, peer tutors, scholarships, faculty support programs, and…

The Management by Results Model of South Carolina's Principal Incentive Program is one of three models developed to reward school principals who demonstrate superior performance and productivity. Awards are given on the basis of the achievement of objectives developed by the principal and approved by the Principal Incentive Committee as well as a…

Merit pay is discussed in three sections, focusing on: (1) an approach to the measurement of the merit of college teachers that avoids much of the subjectivity and potential favoritism that has caused other merit systems to fail, the procedure which evolved over a period of years, and a review of its evolution; (2) results of several surveys of…