Does competition motivate
students or not?
“Of all human powers operating on the affairs of mankind, none is
greater than that of competition” -Henry Clay
|
O |
ne of
the biggest truths of the animal kingdom is the adage that says –
"Survival of the fittest". This essentially means a competition for
life in the animal kingdom where the strongest animal, the fastest animal
survives. However, among humans, we often frown
upon the concept of competition among students. The definition of
human competition is a contest in which two or more people are engaged where
typically only one or a few participants will win and others will not. Competition exists
when there is scarcity of a desired outcome. Individuals or groups are then
positioned to vie for the attainment of that outcome. However, many scholars have agreed that competition is
necessary, ingrained and essential. In fact, there have been multiple studies
that have shown that under certain conditions, competition can improve
performance and happiness and work as a motivator among
the students.
Education
and competition are two universal ingredients of all human cultures. It
is not surprising that education and competition are intimately related.
Competitions play a role in motivating students to perform and excel and offer
a lot more reward than just the winning prize. Competitions offer a chance for
participants to gain substantial experience, showcase skills, analyze and
evaluate outcomes and uncover personal aptitude. Competitions also encourage
students to adopt innovative techniques and develop their ideas and skills. In this way, competitions can prove to
be a great source of self-evaluation for students and help nurture their
experience and skills further.
Competitions can be a major source of
motivation for the students. Competition inspires
students to do their best. When students compete they will become more
inquisitive, research independently and learn to work with others. They will
strive to more than it is required. These abilities prepare students for future
situations of all kinds. Healthy competition has many benefits. It pushes
them to do better and not be complacent. As a result, they often innovate and
become creative. A team works become more creatively when they must compete for
a contract or earn a bonus by being the best. They are not only challenged to
win but also they learn valuable team skills along the way. Competition also
provides feedback regarding strengths and weaknesses. Some appear to be motivated by competition, whereas others are not.
Students who are motivated by competition are motivated for these three reasons:
·
Competition allows them to satisfy the need to
win,
·
Competition provides the opportunity or reason
for improving their performance,
·
Competition motivates them to put forth greater
effort that can result in high levels of performance.
There are many apparent benefits of using competition as a
motivator in a classroom. Here are a few of them:
· Competition can make learning seem like a game
which makes the process more fun.
· Competition can get students more actively
involved in the class.
· High
performers and achievers that might otherwise be bored can become motivated
because they have a high chance of success.
· Competition in teams can lead to
better cooperation and a sense of community.
· Some students thrive under pressure
which competition provides.
· Some might argue that competition is a part of
life and learning to operate in a competitive environment is a valuable skill.
·
While competition can motivate students to work their hardest and
bring out their best performance, it can also have negative effects. Competitions can be disadvantageous for students when they lead to
fear, anxiety and disappointment.
·
Competition can harm mental health and
lead to feelings of inadequacy, inability and perhaps depression.
· Competition
can create an environment where students are focused more on their competitors than on their own.
·
Competition
can make students impatient. Happiness always depends on winning the
competition.
·
Competition
might result in over thinking.
Competition is actually a great thing that helps
students
to become a better person and also being independent in achieving something.
There is a quote that can be a great inspiration for all of us, “Prepare for
the worst and work for the best”. In spite of working to be the best, we also
have the courage to prepare for the worst that may come anytime. Being lose in
competition is not failure, but it’s a beginning of something new.
Sadia Afrin Momi
Session: 2017-18
Department of Banking and Insuranrce
