How the power of ownership can help change education
This article explores the psychological concept of ownership and its impact on motivation, using a Jataka tale and a U.S. economic study as examples. It suggests that giving teachers a sense of ownership over their performance bonuses can significantly improve student outcomes.
Why it matters
The piece offers a behavioral science perspective on how incentive structures in education can be redesigned to foster greater accountability and performance.
T here is a Jataka tale about a merchant and two apprentices. To the first, he promised a bag of gold at the year’s end if trade went well. To the second, he gave the bag of gold on the very first morning, saying only that it was now his to guard and that a coin would be docked for every bargain he bungled. Both stood to end the year with the same purse. Yet, it was the second apprentice, clutching gold that already felt his own, who rose earliest and watched every coin as though his life depended on it.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in