A Study of Achievement Goals in a Single Sex Independent School: Student interest, Learning Strategies and Performance Lai Swee Choo Patricia Goh Deline Victoria Soh

Why Motivation? Students: Learn more from a motivated activity They retain that learning better Are involved in their own learning and development Exhibit behavioral characteristics such as persistence, and are more ready to meet challenges in life when they leave school

Why Achievement Motivation? Achievement Motivation: Achievement motivation is seen as the driving force that directs an individual towards a goal and the reason for engaging in a task is related to an individual’s goal orientations. Elliot (1999) It affects what happens in the classroom because it influences how students approach tasks, how they interpret and evaluate achievement-related information, and how they set goals and effort expenditure for tasks. Seegers, Putten & Brabander (2002)

Literature Review Taiwanese students’ motivation, cognitive engagement, and grades were positively associated with mastery goals. Performance-approach goals were adaptive in terms of children's use of cognitive strategies and their grades. Performance-avoidance goals were related to students' maladaptive motivation. Shih (2005)

Singaporean students who scored high on mastery goal orientations were likely to score high on deep processing such as critical thinking and self-regulation. Lam (2008) Another study documented that Singaporean students who scored high on mastery goal orientation were likely to score high on adaptive learning strategies such as critical thinking and self-regulation. Jang (2008) Literature Review

In another study in an autonomous school, mastery goals were related to interest. Critical thinking and self regulation positively related to Mathematics results. Goh (2010) Literature Review

GoalsMasteryApproachAvoidancePerformanceApproachAvoidance Achievement Goal Theory

Theoretical Background A mastery goal orientation is defined in terms of a focus on learning, mastering the task according to self-set standards or self- improvement, developing new skills, improving to developing competence. A performance goal orientation represents a focus on demonstrating competence or ability and how ability will be judged relative to others. Elliott and Dweck(1988)

Theoretical Background Mastery goals will promote mastery- orientated response to obstacles – strategy formulation, positive affect, and sustained performance. Performance goals will render an individual vulnerable to helpless response in the face of failure, low ability attributions, negative affect, and impaired performance.

Theoretical Background Mastery approach: to be more skillful in the task Mastery avoidance: to avoid forgetting the task Performance approach: to show that he/she is better than others Performance avoidance: to avoid appearing dumb relative to others Elliott and McGregor (2001)

Pattern for mastery approach goals was found to be more positive than that for mastery avoidance goals. Mastery avoidance goals more positive than that for performance approach and performance avoidance goals. Elliot & McGregor (2001) Zusho & Pintrich (2000) Theoretical Background

Purpose of Study To examine students’ achievement goals, students’ learning strategies, interest and results. To examine the predictors of students’ interest and results.

Participants and Procedures Participants – 158 Secondary Four Students Procedures – One questionnaire with 66 items: Achievement Goal Questionnaire (AGQ) (Elliot & McGregor, 2001), Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) (Pintrich, 1989) Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (McAuley, Duncan, & Tammen, 1989). 7 point scale (1 = Not true at all to 7 = very true) – Pearson correlations – Basic regression

Task/Ego ScaleAlpha Coefficient Ego approach.62 Task avoidance.69 Task Approach.62 Ego avoidance.65 Internal Consistency (Alpha)

MSLQAlpha Coefficient Organization.76 Critical Thinking.80 Self Regulation.63 Internal Consistency (Alpha)

InterestAlpha Coefficient Interest.81

Mastery approach goal positively related to results Results & Discussions Achievement Goal Measures Mastery approach - 2. Performance approach 0.56(**)- 3. Mastery avoidance 0.72(**)0.42(**)- 4. Performance avoidance 0.17(*)0.28(**)0.23(**)- 5. Results.0.20(*)

Positive correlation between learning strategies and results Significant positive correlation between organisation & critical thinking Significant positive correlation between organisation & self regulation Results and Discussions Learning Strategies Measures Organization- 2. Critical Thinking0.49(**)- 3. Self Regulation0.51(**)0.53(**)- 4. Results

Results and Discussions Predictors of Results Mastery approach are significant predictors of results. ßtPart Correlation p Mastery approach * Performance approach Mastery avoidance Performance avoidance

Mastery approach are significant predictors of interest Performance approach are significant predictors of interest. Results and Discussions Predictors of Interest ßtPart Correlation P Mastery approach * Performance approach * Mastery avoidance Performance avoidance

Implications for Teachers Teachers should help students become aware of how to think, learn and reason within the particular discipline. Pintrich (1995)

Implications for Teachers Teachers are encouraged to emphasize on mastery, personal improvement, and understanding in the classroom. Research has demonstrated that when students perceive a strong mastery goal structure in the classroom, they are more likely to pursue personal mastery goals Urdan & Midgley (2003)

Implications for Teachers TARGET Framework : –Task Design –Distribution of Authority –Recognition of Students –Grouping Arrangements –Evaluation Practices –Time allocation Epstein (1988) & Ames (1992)

Implications for Teachers Description How to Support Mastery Goals Task DesignDesigning of learning activities and assignments Include variety, challenge and purpose AuthorityOpportunities to develop sense of personal control Foster active participation and sense of ownership RecognitionFormal and informal use of incentives and praise Focus on individual progress and improvement GroupingArrangements utilized in classrooms to allow students to master content Use individual and cooperative learning EvaluationMethods used to assess and monitor learning Give opportunities to improve work as well as use diverse methods TimeIncludes workload and pace of instructions Allow students to participate in scheduling Note: Adapted from Ames (1992) and Epstein (1988)

Implications for Teachers Encourage learning strategies such as organization, critical thinking and self regulation. Organization active effortful action and it includes clustering, outlining and selecting the main idea in reading passages. Pintrich, McKeachie, & Smith (1989)

Implications for Teachers Critical Thinking: The degree to which students report applying previous knowledge to new situations in order to solve problems. Pintrich, McKeachie, & Smith (1989) Teachers should teach students to question, to analyze and to look beyond the superficial for all possible answers Carr (1988) Four techniques of clarification. Stating what you are saying explicitly and precisely. Elaborating on your meanings, Giving examples Using analogies, metaphors, pictures, or diagrams to illustrate Paul & Elder (2001)

Implications for Teachers Four Techniques of Clarification: State what you are saying explicitly and precisely Elaborate on the meanings Give examples Use analogies, metaphors, pictures, or diagrams to illustrate Paul & Elder (2001)

Self regulation: –refers to the awareness, knowledge and control of cognition. Pintrich, McKeachie, & Smith (1989) Teachers should encourage goal setting and then teach students to revisit or self-monitor their progress towards their goal that they have set for themselves. Goal setting and self-monitoring as cornerstones of self regulation. Harris, Reid, and Graham (2004) Implications for Teachers

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