If good ratings were money... || Si las buenas notas fueran dinero... [W118 E2]

First of all, I believe that this thing of materially rewarding the best in the class has been around for a long time, at least at the family and academic level.

During my elementary school years I constantly heard that my classmates were promised material things by their parents if they passed the year with good grades, even just for passing, no matter the grade. At the time I didn't understand the purpose. My mother never did that with me. The desire I had to learn and be a good student was a motive born within me, not out of longing for an external reward. Some might call it bribery.

With this we can see that some parents were already rewarding academic brilliance in their homes in a material way. Wasn't it money? True, but they were giving something physical that was bought with money, and that the child also associated with a quantitative worth, and would probably protect it (to a greater or lesser extent) understanding that there was a cost.

In a second case, the institutions also provided scholarships for those who achieved some level they had set. So not everyone made it. That was also a motive for many to seek to achieve to be in the top of students in that grade.

"Aha! But that's not money either. " True. But often those scholarships were offered to study at larger, private, famous and expensive educational institutions. But it wouldn't cost those winners anything. So what difference would it make if they were given a check that would pay for their entire degree until the end? In practice, a scholarship serves as money.

For all that, in my opinion, it already rewards academic brilliance in a material way. Now, what if now money is used directly, putting it in the hands and wallets of students?

In principle, it is nice to think that a good student will be able to have a little extra money to cover his basic needs while he is on his way to graduation, and why not, even treat himself and buy something nice. But it may not work out so harmoniously in many cases.

It's easy to turn into business in some places where money is present, so cash incentives could diffuse the motives for why you undertake the studies. Are you really doing it to learn, progress and apply what you are being taught, or simply to earn the money? We can't lump everyone together, but those who are tempted by money to be at the top of their class will struggle to avoid employing dishonest methods for those assessments where they find it difficult to achieve top marks. Will they be able to win in that struggle?

Also, cash rewards could cause another dilemma: would the same amount of money be used for all majors and subjects? Think about it: imagine someone who got the highest grade in a subject called Basic Mathematics I, and the same semester there was another who got the highest grade in a subject called Advanced Mathematics III, located six semesters higher in the curriculum. Would you approve of both having the same amount as an incentive? If we give them both the same amount, would we be saying that with the same effort and time they can achieve that maximum achievement in one subject and the other? It is an interesting question.

And finally, I think there could also be a repercussion in those who evaluate and grade. Let's be honest, we are human beings, with feelings, backgrounds, prejudices, preferences.... ...and if we are careless, some of those things could affect our judgment in evaluating students. Will we prefer someone because they are in some disadvantaged position monetarily in order to get the incentive to them? At the same time, what if we have to evaluate the child of our friend, or of someone who has wronged us? Undoubtedly, this type of situation raises even more the need for the evaluator to be objective in his criteria. Can this be achieved?

In conclusion, I think that starting to incentivize someone for their good academic performance with direct money leaves more questions than answers, because the most optimistic will say that it will help a lot to the educational system and growth of the individual, but the most negative will think about the possible vices that could infiltrate the system and evaluations. It seems that there will be only one way to find out: implement it. In the meantime, let's enjoy the indirect money incentives we talked about. See you next time!

La idea de recompensar monetariamente a los estudiantes que saquen las máximas calificaciones pudiera ser algo atrayente para muchos. Pero tal vez muchos concuerden de que ésto ya existe de forma material (porque el dinero también es materia) pero en otro nivel. ¿A qué nos referimos con eso? Y también, ¿que repercusiones podría tener efectivamente materializar éste tipo de incentivos con dinero? Quiero opinar. Por favor, acompáñame.