Intrinsic Goal Orientation Research Articles

Relationship between Self-Regulated Learning and Academic Procrastination

This study aims to investigate the relationship between the components of motivation in self-regulated learning as well as the components of learning strategies in self-regulated learning and academic procrastination. Academic procrastination creates problems for undergraduates such as stress and poor academic performance which should be investigated as a serious issue in the educational context. The participants in this study included 100 undergraduates in Universiti Putra Malaysia. The result of a Pearson correlation analysis revealed intrinsic goal orientation, task values, rehearsal, elaboration, meta cognitive self-regulation, resource management strategies, organisation and critical thinking as self-regulated learning components that have significant negative correlations with academic procrastination. In addition, anxiety was found to have a significant positive correlation with academic procrastination. Extrinsic goal orientation and control of learning beliefs were not significantly correlated to academic procrastination. The findings suggested that in order to cope with academic procrastination, an academic procrastinator might consider being a self-regulated learner as most of the components of self-regulated learning indicated a strong relationship with academic procrastination that can be encouraged in order to improve those lacking components of self-regulated learning. Also, to help undergraduates to improve on the components of self-regulated learning that they lack, strategies can be planned by educators to deal with academic procrastination and to increase academic performance.

The dark side of gendered language: The masculine-generic form as a cause for self-report bias.

Language reflects sociocultural structures, such as gender, and affects individuals' perceptions and cognitions. In gendered languages, male-inflected parts of speech are generally used for both sexes (i.e., masculine generics), thus proliferating stereotypes, inequality, and misattributions. We hypothesized that masculine-generic inflection in a questionnaire would bias women's reports compared with a gender-neutral inflection (e.g., "he or she"). We tested our prediction using an academic motivation questionnaire. We found that women reported lower task value and intrinsic goal orientation in the masculine-generic form compared with the gender-neutral form, and lower self-efficacy than men in the masculine-generic form. These findings suggest that questionnaires and surveys written in gendered languages or translated into them may contain construct-irrelevant variance that may undermine the validity of their scores' interpretations, thus risking the possibility of false conclusions.

The Contribution of Personality Traits, Motivation, Academic Risk-Taking and Metacognition to the Creative Ability in Mathematics

The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which personality traits, motivation, academic risk-taking, and metacognition explain the mathematical creative ability of high school students. The participants were 217 9th-grade students that were exceptionally high achievers. The participants responded to a set of measures about personality traits, motivation, academic risk-taking, metacognition, and creative ability in mathematics. The results revealed that although openness to experience and consciousness were significantly correlated with creative ability in mathematics, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism were not correlated with the creativity scores. Moreover, intrinsic goal orientation followed by openness to experience was the most significant predictor of mathematical creative ability. Academic risk-taking was not significantly correlated with creative ability. Although knowledge of cognition and regulation of cognition showed moderate correlations with creative ability in mathematics, they failed to predict creative ability.

Exploring the Relationship Between High School Students’ Physics-Related Personal Epistemologies and Self-regulated Learning in Turkey

This article reports on an empirical exploration of the relations and strengths among Turkish grades 9–11 students’ (n = 209) personal epistemologies (justification of knowledge, certainty of knowledge, source of knowledge, development of knowledge), self-regulated learning (extrinsic motivation, intrinsic motivation, rehearsal, elaboration, organization, critical thinking, metacognitive self-regulation), and achievement in physics (course grades). Established instruments were used to collect data on these students’ beliefs about knowledge and components of self-regulated learning (SRL) such as goal orientations (extrinsic and intrinsic motivation) and learning strategies, critical thinking, and metacognitive regulation. Results from structural equation modeling revealed that students’ personal epistemologies directly influenced their motivation (extrinsic and intrinsic goal orientations), rehearsal and organization strategies, and metacognitive self-regulation to learn physics. Furthermore, students’ personal epistemologies indirectly (mediated through motivation beliefs) influenced rehearsal, elaboration and organization strategies, critical thinking, and metacognitive self-regulation to learn physics. Students’ ideas about knowledge and knowing about the source and development of knowledge significantly contributed to students’ self-regulatory skills and physics course grade. Implications and future directions are discussed.

Preservice Teachers' Computer Use in Single Computer Training Courses; Relationships and Predictions

Single computer courses offered at colleges of education are expected to provide preservice teachers with the skills and expertise needed to adopt computer technology in their future classrooms. However, preservice teachers still find difficulty adopting such technology. This research paper investigated relationships among preservice teachers' self-efficacy, control of learning beliefs, value-related beliefs--intrinsic goal orientation, extrinsic goal orientation, and task value--prior computer technology experience, frequency of computer use for general purposes, and computer use in single computer courses. Participants in the study were 227 preservice teachers enrolled in a one year bachelor's of education program. Regression analyses yielded significant results about the frequency of computer use for general purposes and intrinsic goal orientation. Self-efficacy and prior computer technology experience were significantly correlated with computer use in single computer courses. The findings send a clear message about the necessity to consider preservice teachers' beliefs, personal use of computer technology, and prior computer technology experience when designing computer courses.

Integrating Problem-Based Learning and Simulation: Effects on Student Motivation and Life Skills.

Previous research has suggested that a teaching strategy integrating problem-based learning and simulation may be superior to traditional lecture. The purpose of this study was to assess learner motivation and life skills before and after taking a course involving problem-based learning and simulation. The design used repeated measures with a convenience sample of 83 second-year nursing students who completed the integrated course. Data from a self-administered questionnaire measuring learner motivation and life skills were collected at pretest, post-problem-based learning, and post-simulation time points. Repeated-measures analysis of variance determined that the mean scores for total learner motivation (F=6.62, P=.003), communication (F=8.27, P<.001), problem solving (F=6.91, P=.001), and self-directed learning (F=4.45, P=.016) differed significantly between time points. Post hoc tests using the Bonferroni correction revealed that total learner motivation and total life skills significantly increased both from pretest to postsimulation and from post-problem-based learning test to postsimulation test. Subscales of learner motivation and life skills, intrinsic goal orientation, self-efficacy for learning and performance, problem-solving skills, and self-directed learning skills significantly increased both from pretest to postsimulation test and from post-problem-based learning test to post-simulation test. The results demonstrate that an integrating problem-based learning and simulation course elicits significant improvement in learner motivation and life skills. Simulation plus problem-based learning is more effective than problem-based learning alone at increasing intrinsic goal orientation, task value, self-efficacy for learning and performance, problem solving, and self-directed learning.

Relations between Students’ Motivation, and Perceptions of the Learning Environment

In this research, we have examined the characteristics of university students’ motivation and its connection with perceptions of the learning environment. Higher education teachers often find it challenging to decide how to organize their lectures and what instructional strategy they should use to be most effective. Therefore, we endeavoured to determine which characteristics of the learning environment best predict the motivational orientation of students and their satisfaction with the course. The survey included 120 postgraduate students of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Ljubljana. In order to measure their motivation, we employed several scales of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (Pintrich etal., 1991). For the purpose of this research, we created a new questionnaire for their evaluation of the learning environment. The results revealed a high correlation between the intrinsic goal orientation, self-efficacy, and control beliefs. The most important factors of the learning environment that are connected with the formation of intrinsic goal-orientation and the enjoyment of education are the perception of the usefulness of the studied topics, a feeling of autonomy, and teacher support. To an extent, these findings are supported by the findings of those authors who recommend using those methods of teaching that are in compliance with the student-centred understanding of teaching and learning.

The effects of ePortfolio-based learning model on student self-regulated learning

Self-regulated learners are aware of their knowledge and skills and proactive in learning. They view learning as a controllable process and accept more responsibility for the results of this process. The research described in this article proposes, implements, and evaluates an ePortfolio-based self-regulated learning model. An ePortfolio system was developed based on self-regulated learning theories. This ePortfolio system was used in designing a learning model for fostering self-regulated learning in higher education. Two surveys were conducted with the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire at the beginning and at the end of the courses. The differences in Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire scales between pre-test and post-test, or control group and experimental group were evaluated. The trace data of learning activity were also analyzed to evaluate the effects of the learning model on students’ self-regulated learning. The results show that students implemented self-regulated learning processes, and their intrinsic goal orientation, metacognitive self-regulation, effort regulation, elaboration, rehearsal, and critical thinking improved after applying ePortfolio-based learning model in the courses. In conclusion, the ePortfolio system and the proposed learning model had positive effects on students’ self-regulated learning skills.

Enhancing student motivation using LectureTools: A cloud-based teaching and learning platform

A cloud-based teaching and learning platform, LectureTools, was piloted at City University of Hong Kong in the 2012-13 academic year. LectureTools is an online platform that provides a suite of cloud-based teaching and learning applications. It combines the functions of interactive presentation, real-time student response system, student inquiry and online note-taking synchronised with the presentation slides, into one cloud-based platform. A comprehensive study investigated the effectiveness of the platform for enhancing student motivation among graduate (n=158) and undergraduate (n=96) students. Both groups of students reported enhanced motivation when using LectureTools. The scores on all six learning motivation scales of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, a psychometric instrument based on the cognitive view of motivation, increased when students engaged with the tool in class. Those who used the tool scored significantly higher on intrinsic goal orientation than those who did not use the tool. The students’ quantitative feedback showed that they found the tool useful and that it improved their motivation. Qualitative feedback from the instructors indicated that the tool was useful for engaging passive students. They reported that the most useful function was the interactive online questions with real-time results, while the in-class student inquiry function was difficult to use in practice.

Relationship between levels of problematic Internet usage and motivation to study in university students

This study explored the relationship between problematic levels of Internet use and motivation to study in a university sample. One hundred and sixty-two participants were recruited online and completed four questionnaires: Internet Addiction Test, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Emotional–Social Loneliness Scale, and the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire. Participants’ scores were analysed to determine the presence of problematic levels of Internet use and any relationship between this factor and motivation to study. The results demonstrated that levels of problematic Internet use were negatively associated with several aspects of motivation to study (intrinsic goal orientation, control over learning, and learning self-efficacy). These relationships were over and above any impact that depression, anxiety, and social isolation had on motivation to study. The results suggest that increasing employment of digital learning technologies in higher education may be generating problems for some students, which may negatively impact their academic experience and outcomes in higher education.

Relationships between the quality of blended learning experience, self-regulated learning, and academic achievement of medical students: a path analysis.

PurposeThis study examined the relationships between the different aspects of students’ course experience, self-regulated learning, and academic achievement of medical students in a blended learning curriculum.MethodsPerceptions of medical students (n=171) from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Medical University of Bahrain (RCSI Bahrain), on the blended learning experience were measured using the Student Course Experience Questionnaire (SCEQ), with an added e-Learning scale. In addition, self-regulated learning was measured using the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ). Academic achievement was measured by the scores of the students at the end of the course. A path analysis was created to test the relationships between the different study variables.ResultsPath analysis indicated that the perceived quality of the face-to-face component of the blended experience directly affected the motivation of students. The SCEQ scale “quality of teaching” directly affected two aspects of motivation: control of learning and intrinsic goal orientation. Furthermore, appropriate course workload directly affected the self-efficacy of students. Moreover, the e-Learning scale directly affected students’ peer learning and critical thinking but indirectly affected metacognitive regulation. The resource management regulation strategies, time and study environment, and effort regulation directly affected students’ examination scores (17% of the variance explained). However, there were no significant direct relationships between the SCEQ scales and cognitive learning strategies or examination scores.ConclusionThe results of this study will have important implications for designing blended learning courses in medical schools.

Facilitating students’ motivation and learning through competence-based didactic units

The purpose of the present study was to examine the influence of the ?Competence-based didactic units? in vocational education on students? motivation and self-regulated learning. The sample consisted of 115 males and 133 females (n=250) who were attending secondary vocational or technical schools in Slovenia. The students were included in an experimental project that introduced a ?competence- based didactic unit? (CBDU) in vocational schools? curricula. In our study, the introduction of the CBDU was used to measure changes in the motivational, cognitive, and metacognitive aspects of self-regulated learning and to examine how they were subsequently related to other students characteristists, such as gender, school performance and time spent on school work. The results show the importance of CBDUs, on the one hand, on motivational factors such as intrinsic goal orientation, task value, and self-efficacy, and, on the other hand, differences in gender and grade level. The findings are discussed in terms of how teaching strategies in vocational education can contribute to the development of individuals? motivation.

Student motivations as predictors of high-level cognitions in project-based classrooms

It is well established that active learning helps students engage in high-level thinking strategies and develop improved cognitive skills. Motivation and self-regulated learning research, however, illustrates that cognitive engagement is an effortful process that is related to students’ valuing of the learning tasks, adoption of internalized goal orientations, and development of personal agency. In this study, we test these relationships by generating multiple regression models that use motivational variables to predict college students’ use of elaboration and critical thinking in project-based courses. We find that elaboration strategies are significantly and positively predicted in regression models based on task value and intrinsic goal orientation or on task value and self-efficacy. Regression analyses illustrate that models based on task value and intrinsic goal orientation, in combination with either self-efficacy or extrinsic goal orientation, described students’ use of critical thinking strategies. These findings support prior research that shows that student motivations are significantly tied to their use of cognitive strategies. The findings extend the existing research base by illustrating the extent to which student motivations may be used to predict cognitive engagement in active, project-based environments.

Human Values as Predictors of Motivational Beliefs in High School Students

values play a significant role in the personality development of adolescents. Values include the standards that embrace the social changes influencing the whole society and are effective in the construction of desired behaviours. Motivational beliefs are effective component in the learning goals of adolescents. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the predictive powers of human values on motivational beliefs. The participants are 462 high school students. Human Values Scale was used to determine the human values of the students in the study. Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire was also used to measure the motivational strategies of students. Results indicate that human values are significant predictor of motivational strategies. While being pacifist itself explains 10.4 % of the variance related to intrinsic goal orientation, it explains 11.7 % of motivational beliefs it together with respect scale. While tolerance explains 2.9 % of the variance related to external goal orientation itself, it explains 3.7 % of the variance related to external goal orientation together with respect. Whereas being pacifist explains 8.9 % of the variance related to the perception of self-efficacy itself, together with respect, they explain 9.9 % of the variance related to perception of self-efficacy.

The Relationship between Epistemological Beliefs and Motivational Components of Self-Regulated Learning Strategies of Male and Female EFL Learners across Years of Study

The purpose of the present study was to determine the relationship between five dimensions of the epistemological beliefs regarding structure of knowledge, stability of knowledge, source of knowledge, ability to learn and, speed of learning and six measures of the motivational components of self-regulated learning strategies (intrinsic goal orientation, extrinsic goal orientation, task value, self-efficacy, control of learning, and test anxiety) among male and female EFL learners across years of study (freshman and sophomore students). The participants of this study were 101 EFL students studying English literature and English translation in the Islamic Azad University, Rasht Branch, Iran, during the spring semester of 2013. The participants completed Persian version of Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) (Pintrich, Smith, Garcia & McKeachie, 1991) and Persian version of Epistemological Questionnaire (Schommer, 1990). Results showed that, in general, the more naive the epistemological beliefs of students, the less likely they are to use motivational learning strategies. Moreover, there was no significant relationship between dimensions of epistemological beliefs and motivational components of self-regulated learning strategies among male and female students. On the other hand, a statistically significant relationship was found between dimensions of epistemological beliefs and motivational components of self-regulated learning strategies for both freshman and sophomore students.

Students’ goal orientations and learning strategies in a powerful learning environment: A case study

In Dutch secondary education, experiments with powerful social constructivist learning environments are conducted that aim to appeal to students’ intrinsic goal orientations, use of deep cognitive learning strategies, and self-direction of meta-cognitive learning strategies. The aim of this study is to gain insight into the relation between learning environment characteristics and students’ goal orientations and learning strategies, by means of a case study of one innovative school. Ten lesson observations were carried out. Students (n=138) filled out questionnaires about their learning preferences. Results showed that characteristics of powerful learning environments were present. Students showed relatively strong preferences for mastery goals and had equal preferences for deep and surface cognitive learning strategies. Preferences for self-direction of meta-cognitive strategies were rather low.

The Impact of Authentic Learning Exercises On Pre-service Teachers' Motivational Beliefs towards Technology Integration

A quasi-experimental study explored the impact of authentic learning exercises on preservice teachers' motivational beliefs and intentions to integrate technology, as well as the ability of those beliefs to predict intentions. A questionnaire was used to assess 104 preservice teachers' expectancy-value related motivational beliefs, namely intrinsic and extrinsic goal orientations, task value, self-efficacy, and control of learning. Results indicated authentic learning exercises might have enhanced motivational beliefs, particularly self-efficacy and intrinsic goal-orientation. Also, motivational beliefs predicted intentions to integrate, with task value predicting significantly.

Self-regulation in online learning

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of goal orientation and academic self-efficacy in student achievement mediated by effort regulation, metacognitive regulation, and interaction regulation in an online course. The results show that intrinsic goal orientation and academic self-efficacy predicted students’ metacognitive self-regulation; however, extrinsic goal orientation did not predict any type of regulation. Effort regulation and the amount of time spent in Blackboard predicted students’ academic achievement in the course, and interaction regulation predicted the amount of time spent in the online course. Results show the importance of individual students’ intrinsic goal orientation and academic self-efficacy in academic achievement. Discussion relates to current research and implications for online teaching and learning practice.

Assessing the Effects of Instructor Enthusiasm on Classroom Engagement, Learning Goal Orientation, and Academic Self-Efficacy

Enthusiasm is widely regarded as one of the most essential and desirable qualities and characteristics of effective teachers. This study is designed to assess the effects of teacher enthusiasm on student classroom engagement, learning goal orientation, and academic self-efficacy. Participants include 165 college students enrolled in basic communication classes. Results indicate that teacher enthusiasm is an effective predictor of student behavioral, cognitive, and emotional engagement, intrinsic goal orientation, and academic self-efficacy, but it is not a significant predictor of extrinsic goal orientation. Consequently, this study demonstrates the power of teacher enthusiasm in predicting and shaping students' behavior in the classroom.

Case Study of How Turkish University Students Improve Their Biochemistry Achievement

Biochemistry courses have an important place as a common subject in faculties of medicine, food engineering, biology and chemistry. MSLQ, Metacognitive Awareness Inventory and Learning Approach Questionnaire were used. The study also involves repeated observations of the same instructor in a biochemistry class over eight weeks to describe students’ academic performance, instructor practice, teaching methods and generally, learning environment in the biochemistry class. Students achieving the two highest scores, two average scores and the two lowest scores from biochemistry exams were selected for in-depth interviews and results demonstrated that self-efficacy, intrinsic goal orientation, task-value, cognitive strategies such as critical thinking ability and elaboration, metacognitive self-regulated strategies and effort regulation may have a considerable importance in students’ biochemistry achievement. Results of the study also revealed that levels of students’ awareness of what and how they monitor in their biochemistry learning process has an important effect on their biochemistry success.