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Influences of mastery goal and perceived competence on educational outcomes
Yeung, Alexander Seeshing Craven, Rhonda Kaur, Gurvinder
Yeung, Alexander Seeshing
Craven, Rhonda
Kaur, Gurvinder
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Abstract
Motivation research has shown significant relations of students’ mastery goal orientation and perceived competence to educational outcomes, but has not simultaneously scrutinized their relative influences on various educational outcomes. In the present investigation, a sample of Australian students from 6 secondary schools in Western Sydney (N= 1519) responded to survey items that measured mastery goal orientation and sense of competence. They were also asked to rate their status in class and self-efficacy in life. Their achievement scores were obtained by conducting both a reading and a numeracy test. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied to relate the motivational constructs (mastery and competence) to the outcomes (achievement, status, and self-efficacy). Results showed that students’ sense of competence was a stronger predictor of all three outcomes -achievement, status, and self-efficacy whereas mastery was a strong predictor of status and self-efficacy. Given that a sense of competence was found to be a strong predictor of achievement, it seems that educators should pay more attention to enhancing secondary students’ sense of competence if the purpose is solely to improve achievement. However, if the goal is to enhance long-term and whole-person outcomes, then both a mastery goal orientation and a positive sense of competence should be nurtured in secondary education.
Keywords
Motivation; self-concept; secondary education; structural equation modeling
Date
2014
Type
Journal article
Journal
Australian Journal of Educational and Developmental Psychology
Book
Volume
14
Issue
Special Issue
Page Range
117-130
Article Number
ACU Department
Institute for Positive Psychology and Education
Faculty of Education and Arts
Faculty of Education and Arts
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DOI
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Open Access Status
Open access
License
File Access
Controlled