Why does Corey's math performance drop from A-level achievement ...

[swpotter12]

Why does Corey's math performance drop from A-level achievement one year to failure in Mr. Balcom's class the following year?
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

To what extent is the baseball game likely to be motivating to the other students in the class?
 
  What will be an ideal response?

[abctaiwan]

Answer to Question 1

It is impossible to know for sure, but hypotheses include the following:
 Perhaps the subject matter has become significantly more abstract or in other ways more challenging.

Answer to Question 2

Several perspectives are relevant here:
 The game focuses students' attention on performance goals rather than on mastery goals: The students are more concerned about looking good in front of their classmates than about developing their math skills per se.
 Students' need for relatedness is at stake. Students who do well at the problems and improve their team's score will be praised by their classmates. Those who do poorly and jeopardize their team's chances of success may be taunted, as Corey is, and possibly rejected.
 Students' feelings of self-efficacy are also at stake. Those who beat students from the opposing team when it's their turn at bat may gain increased self-efficacy, whereas those who lose may have decreased self-efficacy. Given the competitive nature of the task, students can, on average, beat their opponents only 50 of the time.