The impact of student recognition of excellence to student outcome in a competency-based educational model

Background

Historical research shows that influencing student motivation is a factor in achieving academic success. The use of a competency-based educational (CBE) model provides a challenge in recognition of students who exceed the competency requirements of a given task or written paper. This study provides the opportunity to see if providing formal recognition of excellence in a student's work would improve their academic resilience and persistence in a CBE model. This is a retrospective longitudinal qualitative and quantitative study of all award recipients from August 2016 to August 2019, with a content analysis and correlation research investigation.

Data Analysis

Content analysis of 11,664 grateful responses showed 15.6% students receiving the excellence award who were on the verge of withdrawing their enrollment, decided to continue their studies and were more motivated. Quantitative analysis (n = 30,340) comparing students receiving an excellent award with those who did not, showed the students who were awarded had a significant overall lift of 10.9% in persistence (p < .01), with students in the lower quartile as the ones with the most lift in persistence (20.23%, p < .01). Subsequent data analysis validated initial findings (10 weeks: 5.9% persistence lift, p < .01, n = 27,510; 20 weeks: 3.6% persistence lift, p < .01, n = 27,490).

Results

The study's results are significant and have shown that student recognition positively impacts student retention and academic success. The results of this research investigation provide quantifiable and qualitative evidence that adds to the literature and contributes additional factors in the domain of competency-based education by which future research can proceed.