The effect of success and failure experiences on the task achievement and motivation of learners with performance and learning goal orientations /
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | , , , |
| Format: | Thesis Book |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
1991.
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | ProQuest, Abstract Link to OAKTrust copy |
| Abstract: | A model of motivational processes (Elliott & Dweck, 1988) illustrating goal orientations as predictors of behavior was used as the theoretical framework for this experimental study. Dweck defined a performance goal as one in which the learner strives to demonstrate competence and avoid failures. Conversely, a learning goal was defined as one in which the learner strives to master a task and views failures as obstacles to overcome. From an initial sample of 143 third graders, students were identified as being performance-disposed or learning-disposed, using a researcher-designed task. Seventy-two randomly selected students were paired with students of like gender, like disposition, and similar abilities and then randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: 1) a group receiving a teacher-suggested performance goal or 2) a group receiving a teacher-suggested learning goal. Student pairs received the treatment in the form of a verbal suggestion and then were involved in problem-solving sessions with an interactive computer program. Behaviors and verbalizations during the sessions were used to identify task involvement after both success and failure, task selections after success and failure experiences, and affective verbalizations expressed either negatively or positively after success and failure experiences. Computer-designed pre and post tests were administered to measure task achievement on the problem-solving task. Using analyses of covariance and variance, significant differences were found in the task involvement after failure experiences, task achievement, and affective verbalizations of learners with different goal orientations. Subjects identified as performance-disposed who were given a performance treatment demonstrated significantly less task involvement after failure and significantly more negative verbalizations after failure experiences than any of the other groups. In addition, subjects given a performance treatment achieved at a significantly higher level than did students who were given a learning treatment. The implications to current educational practices that involve the effect of teacher-suggested goals, the use of right-wrong achievement measures and the effect of failure experiences on a learner's motivation are discussed. |
|---|---|
| Item Description: | Typescript (photocopy). Vita. "Major subject: Curriculum and Instruction." |
| Physical Description: | xvi, 171 leaves : illustrations ; 29 cm |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references. |