The important point is that extrinsic motivators can, over a brief period of time, produce intrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation is only one idea in a wide range of actions that produce student motivation. Rewarding groups based on group performance creates an interpersonal reward structure in which group members will give or withhold social reinforcers in response to group mates' efforts. The motivationalist critique of traditional classroom organization holds that the competitive grading and informal reward system of the classroom creates peer norms opposing academic efforts. By having students work together toward a common goal, they may be motivated to reinforce one another for academic efforts.
Motivational theorists build group rewards into their cooperative learning methods.
Students can earn certificates if their average team scores on quizzes or other individual assignments exceed a preestablished criterion. If students value the success of the group, they will encourage and help one another to achieve, much in contrast to the traditional competitive classroom. This works only if the group rewards are based on the individual learning of all group members. Most often, this means that team scores are computed based on average scores on quizzes which all teammates take individually, without teammate help. If group rewards are based on an assigned group product, there is little incentive for group members to explain concepts to one another, and one or two group members may do all the work.