Learning guidance with warm encouragement
by Dr. Laine Bradshaw, PhD, Vice President of Classroom Solutions, Pearson
Why encouragement matters in learning
Imagine a student who sees a 65% on their test. What does that number teach them? For many students, the answer is: not much. And for too many, that number reinforces a damaging belief—that they’re not good at learning. That’s what we set out to change.
How we communicate learning shapes how students see themselves as learners. Eight years ago, I founded Navvy with a mission: to help teachers teach and students learn in ways that are both successful and healthy. We created a formative classroom assessment system that gives instant feedback that is specific, accurate, and encouraging so students know what they’re learning and how they’re growing.
In K–12 education, students aren’t just learning facts—they’re also learning how to learn. Academic content standards provide the foundation, but thriving as a learner requires:
- Critical thinking and problem-solving
- Perseverance in the face of challenges
- Confidence in their ability to grow
Beyond acquiring knowledge, we want to help students develop a mindset that sets them up for success as lifelong learners—a mindset that values effort, persistence, and self-belief.
What does a healthy relationship with learning look like?
A healthy learning mindset aligns with growth mindset research (summarized in Dweck, 2006), which shows that abilities develop through effort, strategy, and persistence.
Students with a healthy approach to learning:
- See challenges as opportunities, not threats.
- Recognize mistakes as part of the learning process.
- Understand that effort leads to growth.
- Stay engaged, even when progress feels slow.
- Use feedback to build new understandings and plan next steps.
Yet, while many assessment systems are well-intentioned and valuable for certain purposes, they often use traditional methodologies that focus on ranking and comparing students with a single-number score. This approach works for broad evaluations, but in the classroom and for the purpose of learning, it can fall short. When assessment is designed to measure overall ability, it risks missing the chance to help students celebrate their strengths and specific progress, identify clear next steps in learning, and stay motivated in their learning.
The difference? Instead of receiving one big overall score, students need feedback that provides a detailed view of their progress—showing what they’ve learned, what they still need to learn, and how concepts connect. Encouragement and feedback should focus on what they’re learning—not how they compare to others.
A new approach to learning and assessment
How can we ensure that assessment systems don’t just measure learning—but actively support it?
This guiding question has shaped each design principle behind Navvy. We worked, and continue to work, in deep collaboration with educators to ensure Navvy meets the real needs of classrooms. These design principles have guided our approach to:
- Support learning, not just measure it
- Provide teachers and students with actionable feedback grounded in reliability and accuracy
- Help students take ownership of their learning journey
- Message truth in the learning journey with compassion and warmth
In K–12 classrooms, students are aiming to learn their state’s academic standards. Yet, studies like this recent Pearson study continue to affirm a long-standing challenge in teaching and learning what those standards truly require: While educators deeply value tools that help pinpoint individual student learning needs, many find their assessment systems falling short of delivering this kind of actionable insight.
Navvy was designed to meet that need—serving as both a learning guide and generating results strong enough to inform confident instructional decisions. Through rigorous and novel assessment methods, Navvy verifies which standards a student has mastered and identifies those where they still need support.
Instead of just assigning a score, Navvy tracks progress through microcredentials—signaling mastery of individual standards. In Navvy, students are on a mission to earn a microcredential for each academic standard they’re working to learn.
Microcredentials matter to students because they provide clear, tangible recognition of their progress—helping celebrate and affirm what they’ve learned, while boosting their confidence to keep going. Research shows that small wins can build motivation and drive future effort. Each microcredential marks a meaningful step forward in a student’s learning journey.
Encouragement matters: How we communicate results to students
As students work toward mastering standards, they need more than just data—they need encouragement and direction.
Recent results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) show that many students continue to struggle to meet grade-level standards in math and English Language Arts.
This highlights an urgent need: Students need clear guidance and motivation, not just scores. That’s why Navvy includes Encouragement Notes—a key feature designed to foster persistence, build confidence, and connect with learners through warm, uplifting messages.
Encouragement notes: Designed for growth
Encouragement Notes are brief messages, typically 12-15 words long. They appear in real time with a student’s results on their personal learning and results dashboard after submitting a Navvy Competency Check.
In addition to traditional feedback that provides valuable information on correctness, Navvy’s Encouragement Notes guide students by normalizing the learning process, offering next-step guidance, and reinforcing determination and confidence.
Imagine a student working to learn a new academic standard. Their formative assessment result shows they haven’t yet met the expectation. Alongside a breakdown of the parts of the standard they still need to work on, they see a note like:
✨ You’re building the foundation! Review your results to see your progress and pick one area to focus on next. Keep growing!
This moment gives the student three things:
- Honest, specific feedback: They haven’t yet learned what the standard requires
- Clear direction: Where to find what to work on next
- Encouragement: They can succeed; learning is a process
It’s more than just messaging—it’s a small way to support students on their learning journey by reinforcing that they can learn.
Key characteristics of Navvy encouragement notes
- Recognize and celebrate effort: Growth comes from effort, persistence, and learning—not just ability.
- Emphasize learning as a process: Mistakes aren’t failures; they’re part of progress.
- Provide specific, actionable next steps: Clarity fuels confidence.
- Normalize challenges and promote perseverance: Mastery takes time—keep going!
- Use student-friendly, engaging language: Encouragement should feel real and relatable.
Encouragement in action: Research-based, growth-focused feedback
As someone who has spent years designing assessment systems that support learning, I’ve thought a lot about how to communicate results in ways that foster self-belief resilience, and future success. The words we use matter—and encouragement should be more than just an afterthought.
The learning context matters, too. In Navvy students have multiple opportunities—or attempts—to earn a microcredential for a standard by demonstrating their learning through a Navvy Competency Check. Navvy Encouragement Notes are dynamically designed to meet students where they are—whether it’s their first, second, or subsequent attempt. These notes respond both to students’ progress between attempts and to whether they are still In Progress or have reached Competency in learning the standard. This responsiveness ensures students receive guidance that is timely, relevant, and growth-oriented.
Picture a student reading their Encouragement Note after a tough attempt: ‘Way to stay committed—that’s a big part of learning!’ Instead of shutting down, they feel motivated to try again.
Here are a couple of example encouragement notes with corresponding scenarios and design rationales:
Example 1: Reaching competency/Earning microcredential for a standard on attempt 1
✨ High-five! Next-level skills on full display—your learning effort and focus are so impressive!
- Celebrates skill and mastery
- Recognizes effort and focus
- Makes learning feel personal and fun
Why is this note effective?
This note is high-energy, celebratory, and effort-focused. It doesn’t just say "You passed!"—it acknowledges the work, focus, and persistence that led to success. By highlighting actions students can repeat, it encourages them to apply the same effort in future learning. Phrases like "next-level skills" celebrate achievement while reinforcing that growth is ongoing, keeping their mindset focused on continuous improvement.
Example 2: Not yet reaching competency on attempt 2
✨ Way to stay committed—that’s a big part of learning! Check out your updated results and choose an area to practice next. Progress happens one step at a time!
- Reinforces persistence
- Encourages metacognition
- Frames learning as a journey
Why is this note effective?
This note strikes a critical balance. It acknowledges persistence and reinforces the idea that staying committed is an essential part of learning. By prompting students to review their updated results and select an area to practice next, it provides actionable direction while maintaining motivation. This approach not only encourages persistence but also supports a growth mindset by highlighting progress and offering clear next steps, helping prevent discouragement after a second attempt. Instead of saying "You need to try harder," the note empowers students to reflect, take ownership of their learning, and remain confident that progress is within reach.
Encouragement isn't extra—it's essential. It’s how we help students see themselves not just as learners, but as learners who belong.
I feel like I could talk for days (or write a small book!) about the design principles behind the Navvy Encouragement Notes—and I will be sharing more about the role of research-based, warm encouragement alongside formative assessment results in a session at the National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME) Annual Meeting in Denver.
Join the conversation!
How do you use feedback to encourage students? I’d love to hear your insights! Let’s work together to make learning more positive, motivating, and meaningful—for every student, every day.
About the Author
Dr. Laine Bradshaw, Vice President of Classroom Solutions at Pearson, has a PhD in Research, Evaluation, Measurement, and Statistics and an MEd in Mathematics Education. While a tenured Associate Professor of Quantitative Methodology in the College of Education at the University of Georgia (UGA) she collaborated closely with educators to create Navvy, a student-friendly and learning-focused classroom assessment system. She has published numerous peer-reviewed research articles in top journals on the topic of diagnostic assessment and psychometrics. Dr. Bradshaw can be reached at [email protected].