Motivation and performance within a collaborative computer-based modeling task: Relations between students’ achievement goal orientation, self-efficacy, cognitive processing, and achievement

Abstract

Purpose of the present study was to test a conceptual model of relations among achievement goal orientation, self-efficacy, cognitive processing, and achievement of students working within a particular collaborative task context. The task involved a collaborative computer-based modeling task. In order to test the model, group measures of mastery-approach goal orientation, performance-avoidance goal orientation, self-efficacy, and achievement were employed. Students' cognitive processing was assessed using an online log-file measure. As predicted, mastery-approach goal orientation had a significant positive effect on achievement, which was mediated through students' use of deep processes. No significant relationships could be found between performance-avoidance goal orientation and surface processing and between surface processing and achievement. Results are discussed with respect to general theoretical implications and lead to suggestions for the design of appropriate scaffolds.

Profiling information behaviour of nursing students: part 1: quantitative findings

“…Kirsch (1985) contests Bandura's research with the main disagreement centring on the similarity of the concept of self-efficacy as defined by Bandura with Rotter's Social Learning Theory (Rotter, 1954). Achievement in education has been linked to students' motivation to attain certain goals (Elliott and Dweck, 1988, Braten et al, 2004, Schmidt et al, 2006, Sins et al, 2008, Schunk, 1984; with some of these studies indicating a link with self-efficacy (Schunk, 1984, Sins et al, 2008, Braten et al, 2004. Intrinsically motivated individuals are also considered to perform better academically and be more creative (Ryan and Deci, 2000).…”

Quantifying Cognitive Processes in Virtual Learning Simulations

“…Just as students' achievement orientation has been proposed to influence cognitive processing, students' beliefs regarding their ability to succeed in a particular domain similarly affects the likelihood of engaging in effortful information processing 12 . These self-perceptions regarding one's capability to successfully perform are frequently referred to as "self-efficacy" 14 .…”

“…Current achievement orientation model of motivation has been shown to play a key role in influencing students' cognitive processes 12 . The fundamental proposition of the achievement orientation model is that the particular achievement motives that guide student behavior, largely determine the depth of cognitive processing a student applies within various learning scenarios 12 .…”

“…Current achievement orientation model of motivation has been shown to play a key role in influencing students' cognitive processes 12 . The fundamental proposition of the achievement orientation model is that the particular achievement motives that guide student behavior, largely determine the depth of cognitive processing a student applies within various learning scenarios 12 . Achievement orientations have typically been classified as either mastery oriented or performance oriented, where the former assigns greater importance to develop new skills, knowledge, and abilities; while the latter assigns greater weight to comparative performance and meeting normative learning goals 12,13 .…”

“…The fundamental proposition of the achievement orientation model is that the particular achievement motives that guide student behavior, largely determine the depth of cognitive processing a student applies within various learning scenarios 12 . Achievement orientations have typically been classified as either mastery oriented or performance oriented, where the former assigns greater importance to develop new skills, knowledge, and abilities; while the latter assigns greater weight to comparative performance and meeting normative learning goals 12,13 . The mastery orientation has been shown to correlate with a tendency to engage in deep cognitive processes during learning, which in turn positively correlates with high academic achievement 12 ; however there is little evidence that suggests a negative relationship exists between a performance orientation and engaging in deep processing.…”