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There’s a lot of debate about what should be put on classroom’s walls (see Quote Of The Day: The Importance Of Displaying Student Work and The Best Posts On The Study Suggesting That Bare Classroom Walls Are Best For Learning).

I’ve also previously written about some studies that suggest certain encouraging signage can be useful during standardized tests, and have shared how I’ve applied those results (see My Best Posts On How To Prepare For Standardized Tests (And Why They’re Bad)).

And I have a lot of respect for UK educator and blogger Carl Hendrick, who is wary of putting motivational posters up (see The scourge of motivational posters and the problem with pop psychology in the classroom).

Now, a new study suggests that having signs reminding people of goals they have previously made commitments towards fulfilling can – unconsciously – have a positive impact on their motivation to continue pursuing them (see Need help with your goals? Eating better may simply mean following the signs).

To tell you the truth, based on the summary of the study, it’s a bit unclear to me how they can conclude that signs can help. And I can’t seem to find the full study. However, it does make sense to me that if people have spent some serious time goal-setting on a particular topic, then I can see how encouraging signs could be helpful. Vague motivating wordage, on the other hand, would seem to be a waste of space.

You might also be interested in My Best Posts On Students Setting Goals.

What do you think?