<p>I think it is useful to look at extrinsic versus intrinsic motivators. High school often involves the former, while hopefully as kids mature, college involves more of the latter.</p>
<p>The book “The Smartest Kids in the World”, while quite superficial, looks at students and educational systems in the U.S., South Korea, Poland and Finland. It touches on some of these issues.</p>
<p>It is interesting to note that in the international test that book is based on (I forget the name, but it is supposed to measure critical and creative thinking) the U.S. did not fare wel. However, a top scoring country, China, announced that it would be curtailing homework in the schools for all ages, in the interest of mental health, including presumably extracurriculars and time for social and emotional development.</p>