What’s the Purpose? Building Value and Purpose in Assignments

February 19, 2026

What’s the Purpose? Building Value and Purpose in Assignments 

by Lori A. Gano-Overway 

As I introduce a new project in class, one student inevitably asks the question that they are all thinking, “What’s the purpose of this assignment?” or “Why are we doing this assignment?” I must say my initial reactions can include surprise, irritation, disappointment, annoyance, etc. But then I try to remind myself that students are searching for why they should invest their time and energy in completing the assignment. I also start to realize I often ask the same types of question related to some of my own tasks (e.g., the email waiting in my inbox from a journal editor making a request for me to review a manuscript). This search for the value of doing the work is a key driver for motivation, according to expectancy value theory (Maehr & Sjogren, 1971). Teachers have noted that when the purposes, steps, and criteria for completing assignments are clarified, students are more engaged (e.g., Winkelmes et al., 2015). Further, building connections to the value of a task may raise confidence and exam scores for at-risk students (Hulleman et al., 2017). Therefore, it can be useful to look at how we communicate value and purpose in course assignments. 

According to Allan Wigfield and Jacquelynne Eccles (2000), there are various ways that individuals assign value to tasks. Attainment value is when students have an aspiration to do well on the task. Utility value occurs when students see the usefulness of the task to their life, career, or community. Intrinsic value happens when students see the task as interesting or engaging (maybe even fun). The last value is cost value, when students see the time devoted to the assignment as better spent on other activities they could be engaging in, such as being with friends, working, playing games, using social media, etc. Therefore, reflecting on the value of the assignment and associated learning outcomes, sharing how assignments address these various types of values, or having students engage in relevance mapping may be useful places to start. However, it may be helpful to consider two formal methods that can be used to augment these endeavors. 

First, instructors may consider building transparency into their assignments using the Transparency in Teaching and Learning (TiLT) framework. This framework not only encourages teachers to identify the purpose of an assignment but also recommends that they outline the steps to complete the task and to share the criteria for successful completion. Here are some examples of TiLT assignments and exams as well as templates for assignment creation and rubrics for evaluating an assignment to guide development. 

However, I also recognize that my “why” for having them complete a task may be very different from the students’ “why.” Therefore, a second method, described by Suzanne Hidi and Ann Renninger (2006), focuses on implementing a course-level model to develop students’ situational and individual interest. The first phase is to trigger interest in the topic or course (e.g., Quinlan, 2019) through cultivating curiosity by presenting surprising or incongruous information or sparking meaning by connecting topics to their personal interests (see this link for a few examples). The second phase is maintaining situational interest by having the students actively engage with the content (e.g., storytelling, individual or collaborative problem solving, case studies, simulation or micro-teaching activities) with proper support and guidance. The next phase is for the instructor to tap into individual interest, for example by asking students to reflect on what questions they now have about the content and how they could learn more. The instructor could also follow up with resources to support their continued learning. Alternatively, instructors could provide venues for students to explore these questions through independently guided work. The final phase is to continue to support personal interest throughout the course and hope that it sticks over time. This may take the form of helping students connect earlier learning/topics to new material that will deepen their understanding. 

While it is important to consider the value of a task, we are reminded that it is possible to engage in too much relating. Further, it is equally important for instructors to remember that expectancy also matters. That is, students who expect to be successful and value the task will be more likely to engage in a task and/or experience sustained motivation (Hulleman et al., 2017). This expectation may relate to whether students believe they can be successful based on knowledge and skills developed in the course (e.g., self-efficacy, growth mindset), they have scaffolding to support capability to complete an assignment, they receive feedback (maybe even via a rubric) that supports key learning essential to the assignment, they are prompted to actively engage in their own learning, and on and on. Therefore, when a student asks, “What’s the purpose of this project?” I am reminded that they may not only be asking why they should invest time and energy but also may be questioning whether they have the capability to successfully complete the project (or maybe there is a completely different reason given the complexity of motivation). Therefore, attending to both values and expectancies may be helpful starting points.