The Relationship between Middle School Students’ Learning Environment Perceptions and Achievement Goals in Science

Abstract

This study examined the reciprocal relationship between students’ perceptions of science learning environment, measured through promoting choice, interaction and mutual respect, and teacher feedback, and students’ achievement goals of mastery-approach and performance-approach goals. A total of 407 sixth and eighth grade students participated in the study. Canonical analysis showed that perceived learning environment variables and approach goal orientations were reciprocally and positively related. According to the results, all the dimensions of learning environment perceptions were related to students’ approach goals. For example, students who perceive right to share the control in tasks in science classroom, tend to adopt approach goals