Mastery Goals Research Articles

Exploring the congruence between perceived parent-teacher achievement goals and student academic outcomes: A study using polynomial regression with response surface analysis.

The achievement goals set by parents and teachers play a crucial role in shaping students' personal goal orientation and academic performance. Previous studies have revealed discrepancies between achievement goals set by parents and teachers. However, limited research has examined how the congruence of perceived parents' and teachers' achievement goals is associated with students' academic performance. The current study sought to investigate the impact of congruence and discrepancy between students' perceptions of teachers' and parents' achievement goals, including mastery goals and performance goals, on students' academic performance in mathematics and language. Data were collected from a sample of 4944 Chinese students from Grades 3 to 8 using self-reported questionnaires. Polynomial regression with response surface analyses were employed to analyse the data. The results indicated that students' performance in both mathematics and language improved when congruence levels were high in perceived teachers' and parents' mastery goals. Conversely, the congruence level between perceptions of teachers' and parents' performance goals was only related to students' mathematics performance. The findings underscore the significance of congruence between perceived teachers' and parents' achievement goals in influencing students' academic performance.

Investigating the relationship between goal orientation, self-efficacy, positive emotionality, and affective engagement among Chinese students.

This study delved into the complex interplay between self-efficacy, achievement goals, positive emotions, and affective engagement among university students in China. To achieve this, a stratified random sampling technique was employed, resulting in a sample of 391 students from four geographically distinct universities across China. The data collection relied on self-reported questionnaires that measured academic self-efficacy, goal orientation (specifically focusing on mastery versus performance goals), positive emotions, and various aspects of affective engagement, including enjoyment, satisfaction, and interest in learning. Structural equation modeling (SEM) served as the primary statistical tool to analyze the hypothesized relationships between these variables. The analysis revealed a network of positive associations, indicating that students with higher levels of self-efficacy and positive emotionality reported experiencing greater affective engagement in their academic pursuits. Furthermore, a stronger mastery goal orientation was associated with increased enjoyment, satisfaction, and interest in learning. Self-efficacy and positive emotionality also indirectly influenced affective engagement through goal orientation, suggesting that students with higher self-belief and positive emotions were more likely to adopt mastery goals, leading to more positive learning experiences. This study highlights the importance of self-efficacy, positive emotionality, and goal orientation in shaping students' affective engagement. By fostering these factors, educators can create more positive and engaging learning environments for university students.

Goal Achievement and Academic Dropout Among Italian University Students: The Mediating Role of Academic Burnout.

As stated by the Goal Orientation Theory, students want to achieve a goal for multiple reasons, with each having a different impact on academic performance. This framework encompasses a three-factor model of goal achievement: a mastery goal, a performance-avoidance (PAv) goal, and a performance-approach (PAp) goal. Students may experience elevated stress levels and burnout due to adopting an ineffective approach to goal achievement. This can lead to a loss of interest in studies and even physical and psychological exhaustion. In severe cases, this may result in students abandoning their studies early. This study aims to integrate these factors into a comprehensive model. A cross-sectional study comprising 1497 Italian university students examined the mediating role of academic burnout (professional efficacy, cynicism, and emotional exhaustion) in the association between achievement goals (mastery, PAv, and PAp goals) and the intention to drop out (ID). The questionnaires were administered from October 2022 to September 2023. Structural equation modeling was employed to evaluate the association between variables. The results of the mediation analysis indicate that cynicism and professional efficacy fully mediate the association between mastery and dropout. Cynicism (β = -0.28, p < 0.001) and professional efficacy (β = -0.17, p < 0.001) were both negatively associated with ID, while they partially mediate the association between PAv goals and ID (cynicism: β = 0.21, p ≤ 0.001; professional efficacy: β = 0.05, p ≤ 0.001), and between PAp goals and ID via professional efficacy (β = -0.04, p ≤ 0.001). This study contributes to the currently limited literature on the relationship between achievement goals, burnout, and ID in a sample of university students. The findings of this study may have useful implications for the application of interventions that impact students' well-being and academic success, potentially limiting their possible dropout.

초등 신규교사의 교직적응 프로파일 분석 및 영향요인 탐색

Objectives The purpose of this study is to analyze the professional adaptation types of novice elementary school teachers and to explore the factors influencing these types. Methods To this end, a latent profile analysis was conducted using data from the Seoul Educational Longitudinal Study collected by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education. Results The analysis identified four types among novice elementary school teachers: Satisfaction Type (51%), Successful Type (22%), Dissatisfied Type (10%), and Maladaptive Type (17%). Key findings revealed that significant predictors for being in the Satisfaction Type group included the level of teacher role recognition and self-understanding, with higher levels of these factors greatly increasing the likelihood of being classified as Satisfaction Type rather than Maladaptive Type. Factors significantly influencing the likelihood of being in the Successful Type included experience as a temporary teacher, participation in teaching and learning training, teacher role recognition, self-understanding, school principal leadership, and mastery goal structure. These factors, when higher, increased the probability of belonging to the Successful Type rather than the Maladaptive Type. Lastly, for the Dissatisfied Type, significant predictors were teacher role recognition, self-understanding, and school principal leadership, with higher levels of teacher role recognition specifically increasing the likelihood of being in the Dissatisfied Type over the Maladaptive Type. Conclusions This study provides foundational data for supporting the effective adaptation of novice elementary school teachers and offers important insights for improving teacher training programs and educational policies.

Analisis Perbedaan Goal Orientation Berdasarkan Tingkat Ekonomi Peserta Didik

Goal orientation is one of the developments of learning motivation theory with a belief pattern that leads to different ways of approaching, using and responding to achievement situations. One of the factors that influences goal orientation is economic level. The role of education in several developing countries has highlighted the problem of differences in the level of achievement of learning outcomes between schools, namely differences in the socio-economic status background of students which cause large differences in social levels in schools, thus encouraging the development of schools to achieve maximum learning achievement. This study aims to determine the differences in goal orientation of students who have differences in economic levels. The research method used is qualitative research with a descriptive approach to describe the picture of the differences in goal orientation of students. The results of the study showed that students who are at the middle economic level have a mastery goal type because there is an aspect of social support that supports students in understanding the lesson well. Meanwhile, students who have a performance goal type are at the lower economic level. This is because they get less social support due to their low economic level.

Perceived goal structures and student outcomes: Consistency of motivational experiences within and across classrooms

Our study investigates whether motivation experiences are consistent between and within classrooms, focusing on students' perceptions of goal structures, personal achievement goals, and grades. We used multilevel structural equation modeling with data collected from 1268 ninth-grade students (51.7 % females; average age = 14.87; standard deviation = 0.39) placed in 72 classes. Our findings show that students' perceptions of goal structures vary across classrooms, and that shared mastery goal perceptions are positively associated with average classroom grades. Within classrooms, when individual students perceive more mastery-related messages, their personal achievement goals (both mastery and performance) are higher. However, only mastery goals, out of the two student achievement goal orientations, are positively linked with grades and mediate between mastery goal structures and grades. Moreover, students from less affluent families have lower scores on both goal orientations and observe fewer performance-oriented messages in their learning environment; boys report lower mastery orientation. Student background effects on grades are partly explained by achievement goals, suggesting that unequal motivational experiences may partly account for achievement gaps related to social inequalities.

Social Support, Achievement Goal Orientation and Learning Motivation Among Chinese College Students

This study explores how social support (teacher and peer) influences learning motivation and achievement goal orientation among 410 Chinese college students. Descriptive analysis reveals a positive relationship between social support and both motivation and goal orientation. Interestingly, learning motivation acts as a mediator between these two factors. Students prioritize performance and mastery goals, reflecting a shift towards applying knowledge and achieving objectives. Peer support is the primary source of social connection. Additionally, intrinsic motivation is generally stronger than extrinsic motivation. These findings illuminate the complexities of Chinese university learning environments. Understanding the interplay between achievement goals and social support can inform educators and policymakers in creating environments that foster stronger learning motivation in Chinese college students.

Mastery goal, task value, and self-efficacy as joint predictors of self-regulation in EFL learning: A conditional process modeling

This study attempted to examine the patterns of factors and their interplay involved in EFL learning through the lens of self-regulated learning. 285 grade-one senior high students from three Chinese middle schools completed a questionnaire which was designed to assess motivation (mastery goal, task value, and self-efficacy) and self-regulated learning (cognitive and meta-cognitive strategy use) in classroom context. The results of conditional process modeling of the data show that mastery goal is a positive predictor of task value and self-regulated learning effort, and that task value positively mediated the relationship between mastery goal and self-regulation. In addition, the current study provides evidence that is partially against the general assumption showing that self-efficacy belief exerts a negative moderator effect on the mastery goal, task value, and self-regulated learning relationship. The findings have implications for second language teaching and learning. It is suggested that due care be exercised in designing and selecting EFL learning tasks and materials so as for students to judge them as with high value in terms of interest, importance, and usefulness; educators should treat the issue of self-efficacy with subtlety so as to reduce the possible debilitating effects on learners.

Momentary achievement goal profiles: Associations with instructional activities, interest, and anxiety

BackgroundStudies have traditionally assessed students’ achievement goals as stable individual orientations, thereby missing moment-to-moment fluctuations across situations. Furthermore, students may pursue more than one goal at a given moment. AimsTo capture the dynamic nature of achievement goal pursuit, this study combined real-time assessments and pattern-oriented analyses to identify students' momentary achievement goal profiles. It also examined how these profiles varied across instructional activities and related to students’ task interest and anxiety. SampleA total of 3611 responses were collected from 345 upper secondary school students (aged 16) in a physics module. MethodsUsing the experience sampling method, this study collected real-time data on students’ achievement goals and affective experiences in various science classroom activities, including teacher-led instruction, individual work, and group work. ResultsLatent class analyses revealed three distinct momentary goal profiles: Moderate Multiple Goals, High Multiple Goals, and Moderate Mastery Goals. Most students exhibited changes in their momentary goal profiles during the physics module, highlighting the dynamic nature of these profiles. Individual work increased the likelihood of students adopting the High Multiple Goals profile. Additionally, the High Multiple Goals profile was linked to increased situational interest, whereas the Moderate Mastery Goals profile was associated with reduced anxiety. ConclusionThe findings underscore the value of investigating momentary goal states in addition to stable goal orientations.

The Decline in Mastery Goal Orientation and Person-Environment Fit and the Preventive Effect of Classroom Community: Examining Transitions Using Latent Growth Curve Modelling

&lt;p style="text-align:justify"&gt;Students’ mastery goal orientation tends to decline over the course of compulsory school, especially after the transition to lower secondary school. According to stage-environment fit theory, secondary school is less accommodating to students' needs, interests, and abilities than primary school. In consequence, the perceived person-environment fit declines as well. It is assumed that a strong sense of classroom community in primary school can counteract a potential decline in both of these important individual aspects. Using data from the Swiss longitudinal research project WiSel (“Wirkungen der Selektion”; “Effects of Tracking”), we conducted a latent growth curve model (LGCM) to examine the correlation between the development of students' mastery goal orientation and the development of their person-environment fit during the transition from primary school to lower secondary school. Perceived classroom community was assumed to benefit from these developments. The results show that both mastery goal orientation and person-environment fit decrease during the transition to lower secondary school. A strong sense of classroom community in fifth grade leads to a smaller decline in both constructs. Implications for educational practice are discussed.&lt;/p&gt;

Learning styles and regulation of task value in new university students

International organizations’ analyses of Mexican students have shown that the nation's educational system is currently facing significant challenges in its ability to support the development of academic skills at all educational levels. Evaluations carried out by international organizations on Mexican students have revealed that the educational system in this country currently presents serious difficulties in effectively contributing to the development of academic skills at all educational levels. Models that consider learning styles and other factors that support academic performance such as intrinsic motivation, mastery goals, beliefs, control and Regulation of the Value of Tasks (RVT) have been developed since the last century to improve the skills of both high school and university students. A quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional, descriptive and correlational study was conducted to identify the relationship between Regulation of the Value of Tasks (RTV) and learning style (LS). RTV data collection used the motivated strategies for learning questionnaire while EA was assessed using the Honey-Alonso Learning Styles Questionnaire (CHAEA). The study involved 108 university students enrolled in a public institution located in southeastern Mexico. The results indicate a "very weak" relationship between SRL and the active, pragmatic and theoretical learning styles. According to the literature review conducted for this study, there are very few similar investigations making it difficult to compare the results with previous data. Further research is suggested to explore the relationship between these variables in other populations.

Unveiling the Links Between EFL Learners’ Perceived L2 Writing Classroom Goal Structures, Engagement With Teacher Written Corrective Feedback, and Self-Reported Writing Proficiency Through Structural Equation Modeling

This study employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to explore the connections between EFL learners’ perceptions of L2 writing classroom goal structures, engagement with teacher written corrective feedback (WCF), and self-reported writing proficiency. Data were collected from 590 EFL college students in Taiwan using the Learners’ Perceived L2 Writing Classroom Goal Structures Scale and the Student Engagement with Teacher Written Corrective Feedback Scale. The results indicated a predominant preference for mastery goal structures over performance goal structures in the classroom. Among the types of engagement with teacher WCF, behavioral engagement emerged as the most prevalent, followed by affective, cognitive, and social engagement. Notably, affective engagement was found to predict behavioral, social, and cognitive engagement, with behavioral engagement serving as a mediator between affective and cognitive engagement. Furthermore, cognitive engagement was directly linked to writing proficiency, a key finding that highlights its importance in the learning process. Other forms of engagement were shown to facilitate this relationship. The study contributes to our understanding of the interplay between classroom goal structures, engagement with teacher WCF, and writing proficiency. It offers valuable insights for English teachers on how to shape classroom goal structures and foster a learning environment that promotes active engagement, particularly in the context of feedback utilization.

The Impact of the Learning Environment on Self-efficacy and Achievement Goals of Israeli Pre-service Teachers

Advancing public education by improving the skills and knowledge of its teachers is a major challenge. The teacher-training phase shapes not only skills and abilities but also perceptions of pre-service teachers regarding their educational and teaching goals. We examined a hypothetical theoretical model that explains how pre-service teachers’ perceptions of their own learning environment affects belief in their self-efficacy in teaching, and how this shape their achievement goals in teaching as future educators. The study included 278 pre-service teachers studying at all five colleges in our country that offer teacher training programs. Existing questionnaires were adapted to the study population and underwent structure validation. The hypothesized structural model was deemed a good fit for the data and was able to explain 35% of variance in the mastery goals of pre-service teachers, 24% of variance in performance-approach goals, and 65% of variance in performance-avoidance goals. The structural model shows that perception of the learning environment has a strong and significant impact on teaching ability and the achievement goals of pre-service teachers. Fostering a constructivist learning environment in teacher training colleges may increase belief in self-efficacy in teaching and enable pre-service teachers to adopt teaching control goals.

Teachers’ mindset meaning system: achievement goals, beliefs and classroom practices

Mindsets are crucial factors for individuals’ adaptive behavior in educational contexts. In meaning systems, these associations between mindsets and behavior are mediated through motivational aspects. It is generally assumed that students should also benefit if teachers adopt a growth mindset. Even though many studies have investigated mindset processes of students, analyses of teachers’ meaning systems are lacking. This study, therefore, examines relationships between teachers’ mindsets, self-efficacy, achievement goals (mastery, performance-avoidance), and instructional practices (goal structure dimensions of task, autonomy, recognition, grouping, evaluation, time). The sample of the questionnaire study comprises 650 Austrian in-service teachers (69.6% female; mean age 45.1 years; SD = 11.3) with an average of 19 years of teaching experience. Data was analyzed using latent mediation modeling with fixed mindset as a predictor, self-efficacy, mastery goals, performance-avoidance goals as mediators, and six mastery classroom goal structure dimensions as outcomes. The results indicated positive relations between a fixed mindset with performance-avoidance goals and negative relations with self-efficacy and mastery goals. Mastery goals and self-efficacy negatively fully mediated the effects of fixed mindsets on five of six mastery goal structure dimensions. No mediation was found for performance-avoidance goals except for the fixed mindset-autonomy and fixed mindset-grouping links. To conclude, the study’s findings support that a meaning system approach is also valid for teachers and provide insights into the associations between mindset, self-efficacy beliefs, achievement goals, and classroom practices.

&lt;p&gt;How to Promote Honest Learning Outcomes in Online Education: Understanding Achievement Goal Orientation and Self-Efficacy&lt;/p&gt;

Introduction. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between Achievement Goal Orientation, Self-Efficacy, and Academic Dishonesty among college students during online learning. Method. A total of 238 students from students colleges in Indonesia completed an online questionnaire consisting of scales measuring Achievement Goal Orientation, Self-Efficacy, and Academic Dishonesty. The data were then analyzed using hierarchical regression analysis. Results. The results showed a significant relationship between Mastery goal orientation (approach-avoidance) Performance avoidance orientation and Academic Dishonesty. Additionally, a significant relationship was found between Self-Efficacy and Academic Dishonesty, with students who had lower Self-Efficacy being more likely to engage in Academic Dishonesty compared to those with higher Self-Efficacy. Hierarchical regression analysis also revealed that Mastery goal orientation, Performance goal orientation, and Self-Efficacy together predicted Academic Dishonesty in college students during online learning. Discussion and Conclusion. This study concludes that Achievement Goal Orientation and Self-Efficacy are important factors that influence Academic Dishonesty in college students during online learning. These findings may contribute to the development of more effective online learning programs that encourage students to achieve honest and high-quality learning outcomes.

Achievement goals of the social peer-group and the entire class: Relationships with Students' individual achievement goals

The importance of students' goal pursuit is well documented, yet little is known about how motivations of significant peers relate to students' individual goals. Accordingly, we investigated relationships between student's perceptions of peers' goals, peers' reported goals, and individual achievement goals of 472 Israeli high-school students in 26 classrooms. Both goals of the social peer-group (i.e., group of classmates a student spends much time with), and all classmates' goals were related to individual goals. Individual mastery goals had stronger links with social peer-group's mastery goals than with all classmates' mastery goals. Perceived peer goals were significantly related to individual goals after accounting for classmates' and social group's goals, suggesting that both perceived and actual reports are informative, likely targeting different processes of peer-group influence. Simultaneous examination of all classmates' and of particular social groups' goals suggests that focusing on certain groups rather than the entire classroom is beneficial when promoting mastery.

Factors influencing career adaptation: The positive effects of mastery goal orientation, social support, and vocational decision self-efficacy

In the highly competitive employment environment, most college students have left their jobs for a short time after employment, and attention should be paid to students’ career adaptation. However, the further influence of skilled goal orientation, social support and career-determined self-efficacy on college students’ career adaptation needs to be confirmed. This study analyzes the effects of these factors on college students’ career adaptation. This study aims to analyze the impact of mastery goal orientation, social support, and vocational decision self-efficacy on career adaptation among 224 university students in East China. The results indicated that university students generally exhibit positive levels of mastery goal orientation, social support, vocational decision self-efficacy, and overall career adaptation. Female students demonstrate higher levels of mastery goal orientation, social support, vocational decision self-efficacy, and career adaptation compared to male students. As students progress in their academic years, their levels of mastery goal orientation, social support, vocational decision self-efficacy, and career adaptation tend to increase. Students majoring in humanities and social sciences have higher level than students majoring in science and engineering in all factors. Students majoring in humanities and social sciences exhibit more optimism in all factors compared to students in science and technology fields. The relationships among these factors show positive correlations. Mastery goal orientation, social support, and vocational decision self-efficacy all have positive effects on career adaptation. Among these, family support stands out as the most influential subordinate factor of social support on career adaptation. The most influential subordinate factor of vocational decision self-efficacy on career adaptation is conscious decision-making. Therefore, male, lower grade, science and engineering college students are the groups that need to be paid attention to in improving career adaptation. Skilled goal orientation, family support and conscious decision making have a better effect on the improvement of career adaptation. These results can provide important reference information for universities, counselors and college students in the training of career planning, and theoretically enrich the relevant research on college students’ career adaptation, and provide certain enlightenment for future researchers.

Interrelations Among Achievement Goals and Achievement Emotions: A Meta-Analytic Examination

Both achievement goals and achievement emotions have empirically been found to be important within educational contexts. This meta-analysis examined the interrelations among six achievement goals and fifteen achievement emotions and various moderators by analyzing 2,644 effect sizes from 355 studies with 155,208 participants. The findings revealed interrelations among achievement goals and achievement emotions that mainly corroborate theoretical assumptions. Mastery and performance goals showed associations with activity and outcome emotions. The results for work-avoidance goals confirmed the assumption that engaging in work avoidance is particularly related to negative activity emotions. Relational goals are positively linked to positive affect and enjoyment. Facets of mastery goals were identified as relevant moderators of the interrelations among achievement goals and emotions, in contrast to population. The results highlight the relevance of considering the interplay among achievement goals and achievement emotions at a specific level, as opposed to considering only the affective level, as well as differentiating between activity and outcome emotions to better understand their relationships with achievement goals.

Goal Orientation as a Predictor of Perceived Physical Literacy Among Fitness Participants: An Application of the Achievement Goal Theory

This study investigates the relationship between exercise goal orientation and perceived physical literacy among fitness center members, grounded in the Achievement Goal Theory. This study posits that goal orientation significantly influences how individuals engage in fitness activities, thus impacting their intrinsic motivation and physical literacy. Using a cross-sectional design, data were collected from 393 participants via an online survey that assessed their goal orientation and perceived physical literacy. Statistical analyses included the normality test, independent sample t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and regression analysis. The findings indicate that mastery-oriented goals, which focus on personal growth and competence, are significant predictors of higher perceived physical literacy than performance-oriented goals that emphasize external validation. The study also identified notable demographic differences: younger individuals and those who frequently exercise exhibit stronger mastery orientations and higher levels of perceived physical literacy. Specifically, younger participants (18-24 years) reported higher confidence and knowledge in physical literacy than older participants (35 and above). Additionally, male students score higher on the perceived knowledge component of physical literacy than female students. Frequent exercisers (4 or more times per week) demonstrate higher levels of both goal orientation and perceived physical literacy. These insights underscore the need for tailored interventions that promote mastery goals while fostering lifelong engagement in physical activities. By bridging existing research gaps, this study contributes to the development of more effective fitness programs that enhance health and well-being through personalized approaches that account for individual differences in motivation and literacy.

Dual pathways to high performance: Team achievement goals, cooperation, and competition in elite sports teams

High performance is a key priority for elite sports teams. With this study, we investigate the performance of interdependent elite youth sports teams in relation to team achievement goals and within-team cooperation and competition, generically defined as teams’ shared perception of the extent to which team members engage in cooperative or competitive behaviors. Integrating achievement goal theory and social interdependence theory, we propose that team mastery goals (teams’ collective pursuit of learning and development) relate to within-team cooperation and that team performance goals (teams’ shared focus on winning and demonstrating competence) relate to within-team competition. Next, we propose that within-team cooperation facilitates team performance and explore the link between within-team competition and team performance. After the winter break, 289 players from 42 elite field hockey teams completed online survey questions about team achievement goals, cooperation, and competition. Team performance was represented by teams’ end-of-season point totals. Multilevel path modeling suggests dual pathways to team performance: (1) The more teams fostered team mastery goals, the more cooperative team members’ interactions were and the better the teams performed, and (2) the more teams fostered team performance goals, the more competitive the interactions among team members were and the better the teams performed. We tentatively interpret this dual pattern from the perspective of high-level interdependent youth sports teams as “coopetitive” environments, where teams traditionally focus on learning and development and where baseline levels of cooperation are high, creating conditions in which cooperation and some degree of competition can coincide and jointly contribute to team performance.