Examining Achievement Goal Orientation and Selfconcept as Predictors of Secondary School Students’ Academic Achievement in Mathematics in Anambra State, Nigeria

Abstract

Achievement goal orientation and academic self-concept to be considered as adaptive learning behaviours have been a debated in educational psychology research. The study aimed to examine achievement goal orientation, and academic self-concept as predictors of secondary school students’ academic achievement in Mathematics in Anambra State. Four research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted predictive correlational research to provide answers to the research questions and testing of the hypotheses. The population of the study comprised 21204 from which a sample of 750 was drawn. Multi-stage procedure was used to select the sample. Standardized research instruments namely; Achievement Goal Orientation Questionnaire (AGOQ) and Self-Description Questionnaire (SDQ) were used for data collection. Students’ Mathematics Achievement Scores (SMAS) from the state-wide promotion examination were used to represent mathematics achievement. Cronbach’s alpha was used to determine the reliability of the items in the instruments. A reliability index of 0.84, 0.72, 0.86, 0.74 and 0.87, for mastery-approach, mastery-avoidance, performance-approach, performance-avoidance and academic self-concept respectively. The standard multiple regression was used to analyze the collected data. The research question 1 was answered using multiple regression. Research question 2 was answered using unstandardized β. Research question 3 was answered using adjusted R2. Research question 4 was answered using standardized β. The null hypothesis 1 was tested using the Ftest for the regression model. The null hypothesis 2 was tested using a t-test for adjusted R2. The null hypothesis 3 was tested using a t-test for β at a .05 level of significance. Findings showed that students’ achievement goal orientation and academic self-concept scores jointly predicted their academic achievement scores in mathematics. It was indicated that mastery avoidance, and work avoidance, relatively and significantly predicted academic achievement in mathematics, while mastery-approach, performance approach, performance avoidance and academic self-concept do not relatively and significantly predict academic achievement in mathematics. Finally, it was recommended that students should adopt achievement goal orientation and academic self-concept in their learning process since the variable had jointly predicted achievement scores in mathematics.