Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Associate Professor, shiraz university
2 M.A in English, shiraz university
Abstract
With the development of research on educational psychology and foreign language teaching and learning, one of the most controversial concepts in educational psychology might be the issues related to the students’ achievement goal orientations. Regarding the goals that students adopt which might influence their academic success and failure, this study was undertaken to determine whether gender and different years of education affected the relationship between students’ achievement goal and their academic achievement. To achieve such goals, achievement goal orientation questionnaires were distributed among 182 male and female B.A. students, majoring in English Literature at Shiraz University. The obtained data were analyzed through multiple regression coefficient. The results showed that only in the case of females, gender affected the relationship between students with performance approach and performance avoidant goal orientation and their academic achievement. In addition, in the case of freshmen and juniors, only performance approach was the significant predictor of the students’ academic achievement. Regarding sophomore students, adopting such a goal did not have significant effects on their academic achievement. Likewise, in the case of seniors, both performance approach and performance avoidant had significant effects on the students’ academic achievement.
Keywords
Ames, C. A. (1990). Motivation: What teachers need to know. Teachers College Record, 91 (3), 409-421.
Ames, C. (1992). Classrooms: Goals, structures, and student motivation. Journal of Educational Psychology, 84 (3), 261-271.
Anderman, E. M., & Midgley, C. (1997). Changes in achievement goal orientations, perceived academic competence, and grades across the transition to middle-level schools. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 22, 269-298.
Brdar, I., Rijavec, M., & Loncaric, D. (2006). Goal orientations, coping with school failure and school achievement. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 21 (1), 53-70.
Brookhart, S. M., Walsh, J. M., & Zientarski, W. A. (2006). The dynamics of motivation and effort for classroom assessments in middle school science and social studies. Applied Measurement in Education, 19, 151-184.
Byme, S. R. (2011). Motivation: Goal orientation among middle school students. A Chapter Style Thesis. Ed. S. in School Psychology. La Crosse: University of Wisconsin.
Carpenter, S. L. (2007). A comparison of the relationships of students’ self-efficacy, goal orientation, and achievement across grade levels: A meta-analysis. MA Thesis, Simon Fraser University.
Chan, K. W., Leung, M. T., & Lai, P. Y. (2004). Goal orientations, study strategies and achievement of Hong Kong teacher education student. Hong Kong Institute of Education. Paper presented at the AARE2004 Conference held at Melbourne, Australia, 28th Nov. 2nd Dec, 1-15.
Covington, M. V. (2000). Goal theory, motivation, and school achievement: An integrative review. Annu. Rev. Psychol., 51, 171–200.
Dweck, C. S. (1986). Motivational processes affecting learning. American Psychologist, 41 (10), 1040-1048.
Elliot, A. J. (2005). A conceptual history of the achievement goal construct. In A. J. Elliot & C. S. Dweck (Eds.), Handbook of
72 Journal of English Language Teaching and Learning.No.10 /Autumn&Winter 2012
competence and motivation (pp.52-72). New York: Guilford Press.
Elliot, A. J., & Church, M. A. (1997). A hierarchical model of approach and avoidance achievement motivation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 72 (1), 218-232.
Elliot, A. J., McGregor, H. A., & Gable, Sh. (1999). Achievement goals, study strategies, and exam performance: A mediational analysis. Journal of Educational Psychology, 91 (3), 549-563.
Gehlbach, H. (2006). How changes in students’ goal orientations relate to outcomes in social studies. The Journal of Educational Research, 99 (6), 358-370.
Harackiewicz, J. M., Barron, K. E., Carter, S. M., Lehto, A. T., & Elliot, A. J. (1997). Predictors and consequences of achievement goals in the college classroom: Maintaining interest and making the grade. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 73 (6), 1284-1295.
Harackiewicz, J. M., Pintrich, P. R., Barron, K. E., Elliot, A. J., & Thrash, T. M. (2002). Revision of achievement goal theory: Necessary and illuminating. Journal of Educational Psychology, 94(3), 638-645.
Hinkley, J. W., McInerney, D. M., & Marsh, H. W. (2001). The multi- faceted structure of school achievement motivation: A case for social goals. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Seattle, USA.
Kaplan, A., & Maehr, M. L. (1999). Achievement goals and student well-being. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 24, 330-358.
Kenny-Benson, G. A., Pomerantz, E. M., Ryan, A. M., & Patrick, H. (2006). Sex differences in math performance: The role of children's approach to schoolwork. Developmental Psychology, 42, 11-26.
Kwok-wai, CH., Po-yin, L., Man-tak, L. & Phillip, M. (2002). Hong Kong preservice teachers' achievement goal orientations - are they related to their gender and electives? Hong Kong Teachers’ Centre Journal, 1, 20-31.
Lindstrom, C. & Sharma, M. D. (2010). Development of a physics goal orientation survey. International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education, 18 (2), 10-20.
The effect of gender and different Levels of education on the … 73
Maehr, M. L. (1984). Meaning and motivation: Toward a theory of personal investment. In C. Ames & R. Ames (Eds.), Research on motivation in education, 1, ch.4, 115-144. New York: Academic.
Maehr, M. L., Meyer, H. A. (1997). Understanding motivation and schooling: Where we’ve been, where we are, and where we need to go. Educ. Psychol. Rev., 9, 371-409.
Magi, K., Haidkind, P., & Kikas, E. (2010). Performance-approach goals, task-avoidant behaviour and conceptual knowledge as predictors of first graders’ school performance. Educational Psychology, 30 (1), 89-106.
Martin, A. J., Marsh, H. W., Debus, R. L., & Malmberg, L. E. (2008). Performance and mastery orientation of high school and university/college students. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 68 (3), 464-487.
Meece, J. L., Glienke, B. B., & Burg, S. (2006). Gender and motivation. Journal of School Psychology, 44, 351-373.
Meece, J. L., & Holt, K. (1993). A pattern analysis of students' achievement goals. Journal of Educationa1 Psychology, 85 (4), 582-590.
Middleton, M. J. & Midgley, C. (1997). Avoiding the demonstration of lack of ability: An underexplored aspect of goal theory. Journal of Educational Psychology, 89(4), 710-718.
Middleton, M. J., Kaplan, A., & Midgley, C. (2004). The change in middle school students’ achievement goals in mathematics over time. Social Psychology of Education, 7, 289-311.
Nicholls, J. G. (1984). Achievement motivation: Conceptions of ability, subjective experience, task choice, and performance. Psychological Review, 91, 328–346.
Niemivirta, M. (1996). Motivational-cognitive components in self-regulated learning. Paper presented at the 5th International Conference on Motivation, Landau, Germany.
Pajares, F., Britner, Sh. L., & Valiante, G. (2000). Relation between achievement goals and self-beliefs of middle school students in writing and science. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25(4), 406-422. Pajares, F. & Valiante, G. (2001). Gender differences in writing motivation and achievement of middle school students: A
74 Journal of English Language Teaching and Learning.No.10 /Autumn&Winter 2012
function of garner orientation? Contemporary Educational Psychology, 26, 366-381. Patrick, H., Ryan, A. M., & Pintrich, P. R. (1999). The differential impact of extrinsic and mastery goal orientations on males’ and females’ self-regulated learning. Learning and Individual Differences, 11, 153-171.
Pintrich, P. R. (2000a). Multiple goals, multiple pathways: The role of goal orientation in learning and achievement. Journal of' Educational Psychology, 92 (3), 544-555.
Pintrich, P. R., & Schunk, D. H. (2002). Motivation in education: theory, research, and applications (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
Rijavec M., & Brdar I. (2002). Coping with school failure and self-regulated learning. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 17(2), 177-194.
Roedel, T. D., & Schraw, G. (1995). Beliefs about intelligence and academic goals. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 20, 464-468.
Ryan, A. M., Hicks, L., & Midgley, C. (1997). Social goals, academic goals, and avoiding seeking help in the classroom. Journal of Early Adolescence, 17, 152-171.
Shim, S. S., Ryan, A. M., & Anderson, C. J. (2008). Achievement goals and achievement during early adolescence: Examining time-varying predictor and outcome variables in growth-curve analysis. Journal of' Educationa1 Psychology, 100, 655- 671.
Tercanlioglu, L. (2004). Achievement goal theory: A perspective on foreign-language-learners’ motivation. TESL Canada Journal, 21 (2), 34-49.
Thorkildsen, T. A., & Nicholls, J. G. (1998). Fifth-graders’ achievement orientations and beliefs: Individual and classroom differences. Journal of Educational Psychology, 90, 179-201.
Vaezi, Z. (2008). Language learning motivation among Iranian undergraduate students. World Applied Sciences Journal, 5(1), 54-61.
Was, C. (2006). Academic achievement goal orientation: Taking another look. Electronic Journal of Research in Educational Psychology, 4(3), No.10, 529-550.
The effect of gender and different Levels of education on the … 75
Wolters, C. A. (2004). Advancing achievement goal theory: Using goal structures and goal orientations to predict students' motivation, cognition, and achievement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 96 (2), 236-250.
Zakeri, H. (2009). Prediction of self-handicapping based on personality traits and parenting style: Mediational effect of goal orientation. M.A. Thesis in educational psychology. Shiraz University.
Ames, C. (1992). Classrooms: Goals, structures, and student motivation. Journal of Educational Psychology, 84 (3), 261-271.
Anderman, E. M., & Midgley, C. (1997). Changes in achievement goal orientations, perceived academic competence, and grades across the transition to middle-level schools. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 22, 269-298.
Brdar, I., Rijavec, M., & Loncaric, D. (2006). Goal orientations, coping with school failure and school achievement. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 21 (1), 53-70.
Brookhart, S. M., Walsh, J. M., & Zientarski, W. A. (2006). The dynamics of motivation and effort for classroom assessments in middle school science and social studies. Applied Measurement in Education, 19, 151-184.
Byme, S. R. (2011). Motivation: Goal orientation among middle school students. A Chapter Style Thesis. Ed. S. in School Psychology. La Crosse: University of Wisconsin.
Carpenter, S. L. (2007). A comparison of the relationships of students’ self-efficacy, goal orientation, and achievement across grade levels: A meta-analysis. MA Thesis, Simon Fraser University.
Chan, K. W., Leung, M. T., & Lai, P. Y. (2004). Goal orientations, study strategies and achievement of Hong Kong teacher education student. Hong Kong Institute of Education. Paper presented at the AARE2004 Conference held at Melbourne, Australia, 28th Nov. 2nd Dec, 1-15.
Covington, M. V. (2000). Goal theory, motivation, and school achievement: An integrative review. Annu. Rev. Psychol., 51, 171–200.
Dweck, C. S. (1986). Motivational processes affecting learning. American Psychologist, 41 (10), 1040-1048.
Elliot, A. J. (2005). A conceptual history of the achievement goal construct. In A. J. Elliot & C. S. Dweck (Eds.), Handbook of
72 Journal of English Language Teaching and Learning.No.10 /Autumn&Winter 2012
competence and motivation (pp.52-72). New York: Guilford Press.
Elliot, A. J., & Church, M. A. (1997). A hierarchical model of approach and avoidance achievement motivation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 72 (1), 218-232.
Elliot, A. J., McGregor, H. A., & Gable, Sh. (1999). Achievement goals, study strategies, and exam performance: A mediational analysis. Journal of Educational Psychology, 91 (3), 549-563.
Gehlbach, H. (2006). How changes in students’ goal orientations relate to outcomes in social studies. The Journal of Educational Research, 99 (6), 358-370.
Harackiewicz, J. M., Barron, K. E., Carter, S. M., Lehto, A. T., & Elliot, A. J. (1997). Predictors and consequences of achievement goals in the college classroom: Maintaining interest and making the grade. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 73 (6), 1284-1295.
Harackiewicz, J. M., Pintrich, P. R., Barron, K. E., Elliot, A. J., & Thrash, T. M. (2002). Revision of achievement goal theory: Necessary and illuminating. Journal of Educational Psychology, 94(3), 638-645.
Hinkley, J. W., McInerney, D. M., & Marsh, H. W. (2001). The multi- faceted structure of school achievement motivation: A case for social goals. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Seattle, USA.
Kaplan, A., & Maehr, M. L. (1999). Achievement goals and student well-being. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 24, 330-358.
Kenny-Benson, G. A., Pomerantz, E. M., Ryan, A. M., & Patrick, H. (2006). Sex differences in math performance: The role of children's approach to schoolwork. Developmental Psychology, 42, 11-26.
Kwok-wai, CH., Po-yin, L., Man-tak, L. & Phillip, M. (2002). Hong Kong preservice teachers' achievement goal orientations - are they related to their gender and electives? Hong Kong Teachers’ Centre Journal, 1, 20-31.
Lindstrom, C. & Sharma, M. D. (2010). Development of a physics goal orientation survey. International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education, 18 (2), 10-20.
The effect of gender and different Levels of education on the … 73
Maehr, M. L. (1984). Meaning and motivation: Toward a theory of personal investment. In C. Ames & R. Ames (Eds.), Research on motivation in education, 1, ch.4, 115-144. New York: Academic.
Maehr, M. L., Meyer, H. A. (1997). Understanding motivation and schooling: Where we’ve been, where we are, and where we need to go. Educ. Psychol. Rev., 9, 371-409.
Magi, K., Haidkind, P., & Kikas, E. (2010). Performance-approach goals, task-avoidant behaviour and conceptual knowledge as predictors of first graders’ school performance. Educational Psychology, 30 (1), 89-106.
Martin, A. J., Marsh, H. W., Debus, R. L., & Malmberg, L. E. (2008). Performance and mastery orientation of high school and university/college students. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 68 (3), 464-487.
Meece, J. L., Glienke, B. B., & Burg, S. (2006). Gender and motivation. Journal of School Psychology, 44, 351-373.
Meece, J. L., & Holt, K. (1993). A pattern analysis of students' achievement goals. Journal of Educationa1 Psychology, 85 (4), 582-590.
Middleton, M. J. & Midgley, C. (1997). Avoiding the demonstration of lack of ability: An underexplored aspect of goal theory. Journal of Educational Psychology, 89(4), 710-718.
Middleton, M. J., Kaplan, A., & Midgley, C. (2004). The change in middle school students’ achievement goals in mathematics over time. Social Psychology of Education, 7, 289-311.
Nicholls, J. G. (1984). Achievement motivation: Conceptions of ability, subjective experience, task choice, and performance. Psychological Review, 91, 328–346.
Niemivirta, M. (1996). Motivational-cognitive components in self-regulated learning. Paper presented at the 5th International Conference on Motivation, Landau, Germany.
Pajares, F., Britner, Sh. L., & Valiante, G. (2000). Relation between achievement goals and self-beliefs of middle school students in writing and science. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25(4), 406-422. Pajares, F. & Valiante, G. (2001). Gender differences in writing motivation and achievement of middle school students: A
74 Journal of English Language Teaching and Learning.No.10 /Autumn&Winter 2012
function of garner orientation? Contemporary Educational Psychology, 26, 366-381. Patrick, H., Ryan, A. M., & Pintrich, P. R. (1999). The differential impact of extrinsic and mastery goal orientations on males’ and females’ self-regulated learning. Learning and Individual Differences, 11, 153-171.
Pintrich, P. R. (2000a). Multiple goals, multiple pathways: The role of goal orientation in learning and achievement. Journal of' Educational Psychology, 92 (3), 544-555.
Pintrich, P. R., & Schunk, D. H. (2002). Motivation in education: theory, research, and applications (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
Rijavec M., & Brdar I. (2002). Coping with school failure and self-regulated learning. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 17(2), 177-194.
Roedel, T. D., & Schraw, G. (1995). Beliefs about intelligence and academic goals. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 20, 464-468.
Ryan, A. M., Hicks, L., & Midgley, C. (1997). Social goals, academic goals, and avoiding seeking help in the classroom. Journal of Early Adolescence, 17, 152-171.
Shim, S. S., Ryan, A. M., & Anderson, C. J. (2008). Achievement goals and achievement during early adolescence: Examining time-varying predictor and outcome variables in growth-curve analysis. Journal of' Educationa1 Psychology, 100, 655- 671.
Tercanlioglu, L. (2004). Achievement goal theory: A perspective on foreign-language-learners’ motivation. TESL Canada Journal, 21 (2), 34-49.
Thorkildsen, T. A., & Nicholls, J. G. (1998). Fifth-graders’ achievement orientations and beliefs: Individual and classroom differences. Journal of Educational Psychology, 90, 179-201.
Vaezi, Z. (2008). Language learning motivation among Iranian undergraduate students. World Applied Sciences Journal, 5(1), 54-61.
Was, C. (2006). Academic achievement goal orientation: Taking another look. Electronic Journal of Research in Educational Psychology, 4(3), No.10, 529-550.
The effect of gender and different Levels of education on the … 75
Wolters, C. A. (2004). Advancing achievement goal theory: Using goal structures and goal orientations to predict students' motivation, cognition, and achievement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 96 (2), 236-250.
Zakeri, H. (2009). Prediction of self-handicapping based on personality traits and parenting style: Mediational effect of goal orientation. M.A. Thesis in educational psychology. Shiraz University.
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