Abstract
Student assessment can ‘make’ a student in the sense of enhancing their sense of self-esteem and motivation, or it can do the opposite, crushing their sense of self-esteem and motivation. This chapter explores the generative mechanisms and structures at work in the tripartite relationship between motivation and learning, the self, understood to be stratified by conscious, unconscious and affective forces, and lastly, social practices of student assessment. The chapter considers grading as the main example. In particular, grading from the standpoint of the individual student, the practice of the examiner/teacher and lastly grading students who have worked in groups. A pertinent question in this respect is: do students stand to gain as much from learning and outcomes with individual as opposed to group grading? The latter is understood to refer to students working on group pieces of work or projects. It might be anticipated that in grading groups the individual student is at the mercy of the motivation and performance of other group members and this influences the final grade, especially if it is a group grade.
[W]hen students are told they’ll need to know something for a test they are likely to come to view that task (or book or idea) as a chore. (Kohn 1999).
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Notes
- 1.
Will can be defined as desire or want, and volition as the act of using the will.
- 2.
For example, some kind of Freudian unconscious drive or a Lacanian desire for the other’s recognition. For the latter, see Lacan (1977).
- 3.
As an example of the instinctual consider Maslow (1943).
- 4.
For example, Skinner (1974) on reinforcements.
- 5.
For example, focusing on intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.
- 6.
‘Regarding motivational issues, the situative perspective emphasizes ways that social practices are organized to encourage and support engaged participation by members of communities and that are understood by individuals to support the continuing development of their personal identities’ (Greeno and the Middle School Mathematics Through Application Project, as cited in Hickey & Zuiker, 2005, p. 283, emphasis added). Thus, a curriculum goal might function to support engaged participation and hence motivation.
- 7.
In the next few paragraphs we closely follow the argument made by Dobson (2004).
- 8.
Trieb überall zu Hause zu sein (the wish to be everywhere at home) (Novalis, as cited in Carlyle, 2010).
- 9.
Simply put in this conception, it is not the case you own or possess the thing power (reified), ‘you are power.’
- 10.
The argumentation echoes contemporary and also ancient views and debates on the viability of sensus communis (shared sense) (see Jovchelovitch, 2008).
- 11.
A Caribbean term indicating disdain as the tongue touches your teeth and you breathe out with a sigh.
- 12.
‘Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen.’
- 13.
Questback is an online survey and feedback software company (https://www.questback.com/)
- 14.
In Norwegian: ‘Opplæringa skal tilpassast evnene og føresetnadene hjå den enkelte eleven, lærlingen, praksisbrevkandidaten og lærekandidaten’: Lov om grunnskolen og den vidaregåande opplæringa (opplæringslova) § 1–3 (https://lovdata.no/lov/1998-07-17-61/§1-3, accessed 30 Jan 2021).
- 15.
In Norway, there are many political parties, some larger and some smaller and it is rare that one party can govern without a coalition agreement with other parties to which they are aligned in some respect.
- 16.
Lejk and Wyvill (2001, pp. 63–64): Criteria 1: motivation/responsibility/time management (indicators: attends meetings regularly and on time, accepts fair share of work and reliably completes by the required time). Criteria 2: adaptability (indicators: wide range of skills, readily accepts changed approach or constructive criticism). Criteria 3: creativity/originality (indicators: problem solver, originates new ideas, initiates team decisions). Criteria 4: communication skills (indicators: proficient at diagramming/documentation/overhead projector or slides, effective in discussions, good listener, able presenter). Criteria 5: general team skills (indicators: positive attitude, encourager, supporter of team decisions, desire for consensus). Criteria 6: technical skills (indicators: provides technical solutions to problems, ability to create designs on own initiative).
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Dobson, S.R., Fudiyartanto, F.A. (2023). Motivation, Learning and Assessment. In: Transforming Assessment in Education. The Enabling Power of Assessment, vol 10. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-26991-2_4
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