Academic competition is often perceived as a divisive force in education. Many educators and parents are concerned that the pressure of high-stakes testing and competition amongst students is detrimental to their psychological and social development. However, academic competitions promote healthy competition and contribute to better results for students.
The concept of healthy competition is not always well understood. Healthy competition does not mean “every student for themselves.” Healthy academic competition means that students can learn from each other and not be discouraged if they do not always win. Online exams are a perfect example of how competition can be healthy.
Online learning is becoming practical and popular as it helps students learn at their own pace and helps teachers customize their teaching. According to reports, the global Edtech investments reached US$18.66 billion in 2019.
If you want to know how leveraging academic competition can promote better results for students, here is the information.
It Can Be Beneficial For Students When They Make a Collaborative Effort
When students work together, they can better understand the subject matter. Collaboration between classmates allows them to explain the concepts better. In a study, students placed in collaborative teams produced higher quality work than those who worked alone.
Competition between groups can enhance motivation. It creates a healthy atmosphere of rivalry. In some cases, students placed in competitive situations have shown better results than those who are not.
Academic Competition Can Improve Students’ Psychological Development
In a study, students from grades 5-10 completed a questionnaire regarding the academic competition. The results showed that students with healthy attitudes toward competition had stronger feelings of belonging, competence, and autonomy than those with traditional views of competition.
Academic Competition Can Enhance Students’ Social Development
According to studies, having academic competitions with healthy rivalry can contribute to social development. It can be done by motivating to work cooperatively with others and allowing students to learn from each other.
Academic competition can contribute to students’ social development in four ways:
- It can reduce anxiety. When students compete against themselves, they are less likely to be intimidated by others.
- It can encourage students to work as a team with their classmates. Competition can promote more excellent social interactions among students.
- It encourages students to value each other as they learn from one another.
- It creates a positive learning environment by encouraging students to be more open to challenges and new ideas.
Academic Competition Can Promote Higher Achievement, Even When Resources Are Scarce, And Competition Is Fierce
Students’ performance in a study was tested in competitive and non-competitive situations. When resources such as time, staff support, and teaching materials were scarce, students in competitive cases performed better than those who were not.
Academic competitiveness can positively impact student achievement even when there are limited resources. It can increase motivation, learning effort, and academic achievement. When students are motivated to achieve success, they are more likely to succeed. By competing healthily, students can feel more motivated to succeed.
Conclusion
Academic competitions can contribute to students’ psychological development, social development, achievement when resources are scarce, and improved motivation.
It promotes collaboration, positive social interactions and opens students to new ideas. Healthy competition can increase achievement and help students perform better.
