I have always….. always, always, always, wondered wherever anyone gets the idea that learning is done for rewards. I survived the ASU anthropology dept (as a student) when it went entirely Behavioral in the early 60s. (5 of the top behavioral psychologists in the U.S. were there at the same time) I balked at the idea that we learn b/c we are reinforced for it. Something else was operating (I try to look at these issues on my Blog under the category Basics).
Recently, authors like Alfie Kohn have shown how ridiculous it is to believe learners are automatons, but it does seem like many textbooks are set up that way doesn’t it? “Learn this rule, apply it 20 times, and now you know it. Next!” Kind of like that horrible TV commercial Head On! repeated ad nauseam: GERUNDIVE ON! GERUNDIVE ON! GERUNDIVE ON! GERUNDIVE ON!