I’ve previously posted about several studies that have found lots of positive impacts on student self-control and perseverance if they have a “purpose for learning” (see No Big Surprise: Having A “Sense Of Purpose” In Life Enhances Self-Control).

Now, PERTS, the great Stanford-based group researching and producing useful resources on Social Emotional Learning issues (see Good Videos On A Growth Mindset, The Importance Of Learning From Mistakes & A Lot More) has unveiled research pointing to specific advantages if that purpose relates to a greater good:

In-the-study-students

I found it particularly interesting, and timely, since the first lesson I usually do post-Spring break is on Dan Pink’s “One Sentence Project” (see The Best Resources For Doing A “One-Sentence Project”).

In this lesson, students develop one sentence that they want people to say about them twenty-to-forty years down the line. More often than not, it is related to them having done something that made the world a better place….