Jennifer Archer

Achievement Goals in the Classroom: Students' Learning Strategies and Motivation Processes.

We studied how specific motivational processes are related to the salience of mastery and performance goals in actual classroom settings. One hundred seventy-six students attending a junior high/high school for academically advanced students were randomly selected from one of their classes and responded to a questionnaire on their perceptions of the classroom goal orientation, use of effective learning strategies, task choices, attitudes, and causal attributions. Students who perceived an emphasis on mastery goals in the classroom reported using more effective strategies, preferred challenging tasks, had a more positive attitude toward the class, and had a stronger belief that success follows from ones effort. Students who perceived performance goals as salient tended to focus on their ability, evaluating their ability negatively and attributing failure to lack of ability. The pattern and strength of the findings suggest that the classroom goal orientation may facilitate the maintenance of adaptive motivation patterns when mastery goals are salient and are adopted by students. Recent research on achievement motivation has focused on identifying different types of goal orientations among students, the motivational processes that are associated with these different goals, and the conditions that elicit them. These goal orientations have been contrasted as task involved versus ego involved (Maehr, 1983; Maehr & Nicholls, 1980; Nicholls, 1979, 1984; see also deCharms, 1968, 1976), as learning oriented versus performance oriented (Dweck, 1986, 1988; Dweck & Elliott, 1984), and as mastery focused versus ability focused (Ames, 1984a; Ames & Ames, 1984). Because the conceptual relations among task, learning, and mastery goals and among ego, performance, and ability goals are convergent, these perspectives have been integrated and are hereafter identified as mastery and performance goals, respectively (cf.

A Comparison of the Academic Experiences and Achievement of University Students Entering by Traditional and Non-traditional Means

The changing demographic profile of many universities has been reflected in the increasing presence of mature-aged students on campus and the increased acceptance of non-traditional qualifications allowing entry to undergraduate programmes. Recent research has suggested that such changes have not been accompanied by a diminution of academic standards. In the present study, we examine the academic performance of students entering a university via traditional and non-traditional means using database records for three years of entry. Analysis revealed a marginal disadvantage in academic performance for students entering via non-traditional enabling programmes, but a positive effect for mature age on entry. The results were broadly consistent with earlier studies and confirm the equity goals of more open access to undergraduate study.

Coping at University: an examination of achievement, motivation, self‐regulation, confidence, and method of entry

Abstract Undergraduate university students (n = 132) completed a questionnaire containing measures of psychological variables, verbal ability, an evaluation of their course of study, and demographic characteristics. We also had access to their academic results. We examined the relationships among these variables, especially the psychological variables, and compared them with those posited by recent theoretical work that makes connections among motivation, self‐regulation, and self‐efficacy. We then looked at which variables predicted academic achievement. The sample contained two sub‐samples: mature‐age students who had entered university via an enabling program; and younger students who entered university on the basis of high school results. With universities under severe financial pressure, university‐run enabling programs must demonstrate their effectiveness in terms of students’ successful progress in undergraduate degrees if they are to continue. We compared these two groups of students on the measur...

Enhancing Students’ Motivation to Learn: achievement goals in university classrooms

Abstract A two‐part study was undertaken with students enrolled in a first year university subject (development psychology). The theory of achievement goals formed the framework for the study. The first part of the study was designed to delineate students’ perceptions of the motivational ‘climate’ of the subject and to relate these perceptions to other theoretically relevant variables, including reported use of effective learning strategies and a positive approach to learning. To do this, students completed two questionnaires, one half‐way through the year and another at the end of the year. The second part of the study was an examination of students’ reactions to one aspect of the subject (the major assignment) that was structured specifically to enhance students’ mastery goal orientation. Aspects addressed included the nature of the task, evaluation procedures, amount of control given to students, and the option of working collaboratively or independently. In addition to questionnaire data, 54 students ...

Student Experience of Oral Communication Assessment Tasks Online from a Multi-Disciplinary Trial.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the experiences of tertiary students learning oral presentation skills in a range of online and blended learning contexts across diverse disciplines. Design/methodology/approach – The research was designed as a “federation” of trials of diverse online oral communications assessment tasks (OOCATs). Tasks were set in ten courses offered across all five faculties at University of Newcastle, Australia. The authors collected and analysed data about students’ experiences of tasks they completed through an anonymous online survey. Findings – Students’ engagement with the task was extremely positive but also highly varied. This diversity of student experience can inform teaching, and in doing so, can support student equity. By understanding what students think hinders or facilitates their learning, and which students have these experiences, instructors are able to make adjustments to their teaching which address both real and perceived issues. Student experience ...