The Relationship Between the Quality of Instruction and Intellectual Achievement Responsibility Following Positive and Negative Educational Outcomes

Abstract

The relationships between the quality of instruction, intellectual achievement responsibility (IAR), and level of achievement were examined in two studies in two different content areas and two different grade levels (sixth-grade science and ninth-grade algebra). In both studies three instructional conditions were manipulated: conventional (C); enhanced feedback and correctives (FB/C); and enhanced cues participation, reinforcement (CPR + FB/C). The results indicate that over time achievement increases linearly with the quality of instruction, and, similarly, perceived responsibility for intellectual outcomes becomes more internal under positive and negative educational events. Correlational analysis indicates that the correlation between the quality of instruction and IAR also remains substantial and positive when achievements are kept constant. Overall, it was shown that IAR is alterable by enhanced instructional condition although not when directly manipulated.