Alfie Kohn at the OFJCC: Performance vs. Learning - The Costs of Overemphasizing Achievement

Educational researchers have discovered that there is a significant difference between getting students to think about their performance (that is, how well they are doing) and getting them to think about the learning itself (what they are doing). These orientations often pull in opposite directions, which means that too much emphasis on performance can reduce students’ interest in learning -- and cause them to avoid challenging tasks. When the point is to prove how smart you are, to get a good grade or a h