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== Education == | == Education == | ||
Competition is a major factor in education. On a global scale, national education systems, intending to bring out the best in the next generation, encourage competitiveness among students through [[scholarships]]. Countries such as England and Singapore have [[special education]] programmes which cater for specialist students, prompting charges of [[academic elitism]]. Upon receipt of their academic results, students tend to compare their grades to see who is better. In severe cases, the pressure to perform in some countries is so high that it can result in stigmatization of intellectually deficient students, or even suicide as a consequence of failing the exams; Japan being a prime example (see [[Education in Japan]]).This has resulted in critical re-evaluation of examinations as a whole by educationalists {{Citation needed|date=February 2007}}. Critics of competition as a motivating factor in education systems, such as [[Alfie Kohn]], assert that competition actually has a net negative influence on the achievement levels of students, and that it "turns all of us into losers" (Kohn 1986). Economist [[Richard Layard]] has commented on the harmful effects, stating "people feel that they are under a great deal of pressure. They feel that their main objective in life is to do better than other people. That is certainly what young people are being taught in school every day. And it's not a good basis for a society."<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13052639 ''Group dedicated to happiness launched in UK'', BBC video, April 12, 2011]</ref> | Competition is a major factor in education. On a global scale, national education systems, intending to bring out the best in the next generation, encourage competitiveness among students through [[scholarships]]. Countries such as England and Singapore have [[special education]] programmes which cater for specialist students, prompting charges of [[academic elitism]]. Upon receipt of their academic results, students tend to compare their grades to see who is better. In severe cases, the pressure to perform in some countries is so high that it can result in stigmatization of intellectually deficient students, or even suicide as a consequence of failing the exams; Japan being a prime example (see [[Education in Japan]]).This has resulted in critical re-evaluation of examinations as a whole by educationalists {{Citation needed|date=February 2007}}. Critics of competition as a motivating factor in education systems, such as [[Alfie Kohn]], assert that competition actually has a net negative influence on the achievement levels of students, and that it "turns all of us into losers" (Kohn 1986). Economist [[Richard Layard]] has commented on the harmful effects, stating "people feel that they are under a great deal of pressure. They feel that their main objective in life is to do better than other people. That is certainly what young people are being taught in school every day. And it's not a good basis for a society."<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13052639 ''Group dedicated to happiness launched in UK'', BBC video, April 12, 2011]</ref> | ||
However, other studies such as the [[Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking]] show that the effect of competition on students depends on each individual's level of [[Agency (philosophy)|agency]]. Students with a high level of agency thrive on competition, are self-motivated, and are willing to risk failure. | |||
==Forms== | ==Forms== | ||