Chemical Education Today
Editorial
Her Own Fairest Reward It is said that virtue is its own reward. The earliest state • Experience excitement, interest, and motivation to learn ment is, “Ipsa quidem virtus sibimet pulcherrima merces” [Virtue about phenomena in the natural and physical world; herself is her own fairest reward] (1). Is learning in the same • Think about themselves as science learners and develop category? Should it be? There is considerable debate on the an identity as someone who knows about, uses, and somesubject (2). times contributes to science. Many economists and business people argue that students will work harder and learn more if they are paid for successful These two attributes apply to everyone—children, parents, learning. We pay workers for doing a students, and adults of all ages. good job, so why not pay students for The report also calls for increased interacInformal science education high academic performance? Many tion and cooperation among those who conceive psychologists argue that monetary and create museum exhibits, teachers and others contributes a great deal to rewards have immediate but not longin formal educational institutions, and the comterm benefit. When rewards are no munities in which they work. Those of us in making science learning longer given, students are less likely higher education could contribute a lot more to continue the desired behavior than to informal science education both locally and “her own fairest reward” … those who received no rewards. across the country. Pre-college educators could Either approach, if taken to do the same. This might involve generating new excess, becomes absurd. As the size of a monetary reward ideas for informal science learning, consulting about design and increases, the reward looks more and more like a Wall Street development of new exhibits, creating curricula that include trader’s bonus. As we know from bitter experience in the past visits to science exhibits or reference to them so that students are six months, such a system breeds excess. Students are more likely encouraged to visit, and more structured and organized means to play the system than to learn effectively—perhaps even cheatof regular interaction with informal science educators. ing to obtain a reward. On the other hand, with no incentive or Informal science education contributes a great deal to makfeedback of any kind from teachers, parents, or peers, students ing science learning “her own fairest reward” and to encouraging are less likely to devote their time to learning. If such a system more young people (and old people) to learn about and apprewere workable there would be no need for teachers: students ciate science. Let’s support our colleagues in informal science could (and would) learn everything on their own from books, education as strongly as we possibly can. the Web, and personal experience. Much of the debate ignores very significant differences among the diverse personalities of children. For some a word Literature Cited or two can provide major motivation; for others much more 1. Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations, 17th ed.; Kaplan, Justin, General emphatic feedback would be required to achieve the same end. Ed.; Little, Brown and Company: New York, 2002; p 252 attriThe debate also seems to ignore the degree to which a variety butes the quote to Silius Italicus, Punica, bk. XIII, l. 663. of factors other than direct rewards might increase students’ 2. Guernsey, Lisa. Rewards for Students Under a Microscope. intrinsic interest in a subject and in understanding that subject. New York Times, March 3, 2009, p D1; see http://www.nytimes. To be a good scientist requires curiosity as well as knowledge com/2009/03/03/science/03rewa.html?_r=1 (accessed Mar 2009). and hard work. Perhaps encouraging curiosity is where we could 3. Committee on Learning Science in Informal Environments, make the most effective progress. Curiosity motivates children National Research Council. Learning Science in Informal Envito spend time learning facts and developing understanding of ronments: People, Places, and Pursuits; Bell, Philip; Lewenstein, principles. It also is an important behavior characteristic of Bruce; Shouse, Andrew W.; Feder, Michael A., Eds.; National scientists. Academies Press: Washington, 2009; http://www.nap.edu/catalog. A recent report from the National Academies indicates that php?record_id=12190 (accessed Mar 2009). informal science education can be an important factor motivat 4. Taking Science to School: Learning and Teaching Science in Grades ing children to learn science and encouraging their interest in K–8; Duschi, Richard A.; Schweingruber, Heidi A.; Shouse, Anbecoming scientists (3). Last month I described a report from drew W., Eds.; U.S. National Academies Press: Washington, 2007; the National Academies on K–8 education (4). It listed four athttp://books.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11625 (accessed Mar tributes of students who are proficient in science: know, use, and 2009). interpret scientific explanations of the natural world; generate and evaluate scientific evidence and explanations; understand Supporting JCE Online Material the nature and development of scientific knowledge; and parhttp://www.jce.divched.org/Journal/Issues/2009/May/abs539.html ticipate productively in scientific practices and discourse. The Full text (HTML and PDF) with links to cited URLs report on informal science education adds two more attributes that are especially significant in informal settings: Blogged at http://expertvoices.nsdl.org/chemeddl/
© Division of Chemical Education • www.JCE.DivCHED.org • Vol. 86 No. 5 May 2009 • Journal of Chemical Education
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