Does a Certificate Really Motivate?

Whether a certificate increases motivation is a debated topic; it wouldn't be right to give a definite answer. What we've observed is this: for some students it's very meaningful, for others it's just a file. Which one it becomes depends on how and for what the certificate is given.

With younger age groups

For children, a document given in return for a completed course or demonstrated progress can feel like a real reward. Parents often like sharing it too. What matters here is that the certificate supports the feeling of "I did it" and doesn't turn into a competition.

With adults

For an adult student the value is mostly concrete: can it be added to a résumé, can it be shown to an employer? That's why it matters that it is verifiable and clearly states what they learned. It's also necessary to clearly distinguish "participation" from "achievement"; giving an "achievement" certificate to everyone who attends lowers the document's value.

What increases the value

• A clear criterion: What it takes to get the certificate should be known from the start (for example, attending a certain percentage of the lessons, a certain score on the final exam).
• Personalization: The student's name, the subject, and the date are enough; but a little design care feels good too.
• Meaning: Present the certificate not as a "finished" sign but as an indicator of "you achieved this."

Avoid overdoing it

Giving a certificate for every small step quickly creates inflation. Saving the certificate for a real course or an important stage makes it special. For everyday motivation, a sincere piece of feedback of a sentence or two is sometimes far more powerful than a certificate; for that, you can look at our article on students whose motivation has dropped.

Don't let producing the certificate be tiring

Preparing a certificate template, entering names by hand, adding a date and signature to each one is time-consuming work. On Vedubox Tutor, personalized certificates are generated automatically for students who complete the course, custom design templates can be used, and documents are verifiable; participation and achievement certificates can also be distinguished. Details are on the features page. You can also use the certificate as a reward along the way: not at the end of the course, but at a certain stage.

Look through the student's eyes

Ask yourself: why will the person who receives this document value it? If the answer is "because they achieved something hard and can show it," the certificate is in the right place. If the answer is "because we gave it," perhaps another way of celebrating is more suitable.

A small idea

Add a short personal note with the certificate: "Here is what I think you improved on most in this course." Adding a human touch to the document takes it out of being a template.

This article was prepared by the Vedubox team. For more information about Vedubox Tutor and our other products, you can visit vedubox.com.