Does School Motivate Students With Fear?
Conventional education doesn’t work very well.
We all know this to be true from our own experiences in school.
And there is one big problem that proves it —- fear is used as a primary motivator for students.
Yes, fear.
If you don’t study, you will fail the quiz.
If you fail the quiz, you will fail your course.
If you fail your course, you will have to repeat it and may be held back.
If you are held back a grade, you will not be with your friends.
If you still don’t comply, you will not graduate.
If you do not graduate, you will be disqualified from most good jobs.
If you do graduate but have poor marks, you will still be disqualified from most jobs.
If you don’t get a good job, you will be destined for a life of low income and unhappiness.
Fear. Fear. Fear.
In my early days of school, the strap was a form of punishment. The threat of the strap was often enough to get us in line.
But we have evolved as a society, recognizing that there are better ways.
And while physical threats may no longer be allowed, fear is a threat of its own kind.
It’s time to evolve from fear-based education.
Education is essential — that’s not debatable.
And so is accountability.
So, how can we counter fear-based education?
We can leverage activities that people do by choice.
Playing games, listening to music, watching movies, creating videos.
An enormous amount of human energy goes into these activities.
People pay money to do these activities.
They spark intrinsic motivation.
So, why is education not leveraging these types of activities more deeply?
I say “more” because such entertainment-focused activities are used in small pockets of the curriculum.
I know this to be true because I design educational games and simulations used by thousands of schools around the world. And there are many others like me who offer new and creative ways of learning.
But it's an uphill battle to encourage many educators to change how they approach teaching and for administrators to support them. Particularly those administrators who seem to like buildings more than curriculum.
To be clear, we should not blame educators — we've all inherited fear-based education through decades of conformity. But that doesn't mean we have to perpetuate it.
Change will happen faster when we realize that education does not need to be based on fear.
But you don't have to wait. You can be the change.
Take a baby step or a big leap.
The solutions and support are out there waiting for you.
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I'm Mathew Georghiou and I write about how games are transforming education and learning. I also share my experience as an entrepreneur inventing products and designing educational resources used by millions around the world. More about me at Georghiou.com