Predicting gainful learning in Higher Education; a goal-orientation approach

Abstract

We present data that may not only provide direction to those who are interested in developing a measure of learning gain, but also provide a route for those wishing to directly enhance student performance through gainful learning. Richardson found that student performance showed moderate correlations with only three self-regulatory variables academic self-efficacy, grade goal and effort regulation. We examine how student self-regulatory behaviours and predict these predict feedback engagement and behavioural change. Data provide converging evidence suggesting that mastery approach goal orientations, challenging interventions from feedback, and motivational intentions are essential personal constructs linked to behavioural change. These tentative findings support the suggestion that measures of gainful learning could be operationalised as 'self-reported behaviours that suggest the productive acquisition of beneficial skills, knowledge and attitudes through study and experience' . Evidence is also offered indicating that more research is necessary to understand the measurement of mindset. ARTICLE HISTORY

The Development and Validation of the Feedback in Learning Scale (FLS)

“…Learners are reported to seek feedback that increases positive feeling but pragmatically is reported to have little effect in terms of future performance (Hattie and Timperley, 2007). Recent evidence indicates that students are aware of and in many cases value useful feedback that provides challenge (Winstone et al, 2016;Forsythe and Jellicoe, 2018). However, learners often fail to engage in adaptive evaluations of this information.…”

“…Amongst others, these perspectives are reported to lead to differential patterns in perceptions of confidence, competence, motivation and effort which have downstream effects on performance (Pitt and Norton, 2017). Recent research indicates that feedback that provides challenge and strategy are highly endorsed by learners (Winstone et al, 2016;Forsythe and Johnson, 2017;Forsythe and Jellicoe, 2018).…”

“…However derived, engaging students in the development of adaptive knowledge, skills and attitudes that underpins hard won gains in learning is crucial, in particular if learners are to develop the ability to manage themselves during the courses of their studies and into employment (Forsythe and Jellicoe, 2018). A recent qualitative report indicates that learners in HE, even when approaching graduation, do not possess the emotional repertoire to manage and act upon feedback and are not enabled in doing so (O'Donovan et al, 2016;Pitt and Norton, 2017).…”

“…Drawing on these suggestions, the first aim of the current study is to explore the factor structure of a modified feedback integration measure that has been utilized in occupational domains (Boudrias et al, 2014) and to translate it from occupational environments into academic endeavors. There has been some limited use of a modified version of this survey instrument within academic settings (e.g., Forsythe and Johnson, 2017;Forsythe and Jellicoe, 2018), which have provided an interesting pattern of results. However, as indicated, there has been no thorough and systematic investigation of the measurement properties of the scale within student populations.…”

“…Of these, message valence relates to the extent to the feedback received is positive or aversive; face validity can be interpreted as the idea that participants endorse the relatedness of the feedback to themselves and their future careers; source credibility relates to the person assessing the work can be relied upon to provide an accurate assessment of work; and challenge interventions, which speak to the idea that the assessor's feedback provides a catalyst for change. Here, due to its poor performance in a previous examination, and the challenge of meaningfully operationalizing face validity, we decided to discard these items from the analysis (Forsythe and Jellicoe, 2018). Five remaining factors relating to integration of feedback were also assessed.…”