Learning- and Grade-Orientations of Community College Students: Implications for Instruction

Abstract

The 6.25 million students enrolled at over 1,000 public two-year colleges in the United States present faculty with a diverse pool of learners; and better understanding student motivation can assist faculty in fostering successful learner-centered environments. The LOGO II inventory was used to measure attitudes and behaviors of community college students toward learning and grades and to identify similarities and differences among traditional-aged and adult cohorts. Differences were found between the groups in both total scale scores and on individual items, with adult students possessing higher learning-orientations and lower grade-orientations than their younger counterparts. Based on the principles of andragogy, the results provide a foundation on which to develop practical strategies to enhance student learning. Although the majority of students in both groups viewed earning good grades as an important goal, this study illustrates that the majority of students in two-year institutions also enjoy the learning process.