If the gold stars are what is causing the hard work in the hypothetical, then the hypothetical policy of giving out more gold stars would work. If giving out more gold stars doesn’t improve work, then distribute the gold stars to the students who do the least work- that ones with the most room to improve.
If, on the other hand, gold stars are a proxy for recognition, then students who want recognition have an extra incentive to work hard. Giving out more gold stars dilutes the effect, and distributing them according to some other criteria than ‘who put in hard work on this assignment’ also reduces the effect. The cause of the extra hard work isn’t the gold stars, but the method by which gold stars are distributed.
If the gold stars are what is causing the hard work in the hypothetical, then the hypothetical policy of giving out more gold stars would work. If giving out more gold stars doesn’t improve work, then distribute the gold stars to the students who do the least work- that ones with the most room to improve.
If, on the other hand, gold stars are a proxy for recognition, then students who want recognition have an extra incentive to work hard. Giving out more gold stars dilutes the effect, and distributing them according to some other criteria than ‘who put in hard work on this assignment’ also reduces the effect. The cause of the extra hard work isn’t the gold stars, but the method by which gold stars are distributed.