Year: 2004

Name: Linnenbrink, Elizabeth

Title of dissertation: “The dilemma of performance goals: Promoting students' motivation and learning in cooperative groups”

Chair of dissertation: Pintrich, Paul

Institution: The University of Michigan

Abstract:

This study investigated upper elementary students' motivation and learning while working in cooperative groups in math. 237 fifth and sixth grade students (approximately half male, half female and half Caucasian, half African-American) participated in the study. Students worked on a six-week math unit under three different experimental classroom goal conditions (mastery, performance, combined mastery/performance). The math unit used a combination of whole class and small group instruction. The effects of the experimental classroom goal condition, students' entering personal achievement goals, and the interaction of personal goals and classroom goals on motivational, emotional, social, cognitive, and achievement outcomes were examined. There was a significant effect of the classroom goal condition on test anxiety, expedient and adaptive help-seeking, and achievement. Compared to the mastery and performance conditions, the combined mastery/performance condition was most beneficial in that students in this condition had reduced test anxiety and expedient help-seeking, but also learned more during the math unit and recalled more of what they had learned; however, students in the combined mastery/performance condition also had reduced adaptive help-seeking. This suggests that a combination of mastery and performance goal structures in the classroom is more beneficial than focusing solely on mastery or performance alone. For personal goal orientations, endorsing personal mastery goals at the start of the study was associated with beneficial outcomes such as adaptive motivation, emotional well-being, adaptive help-seeking behaviors, positive social interactions, cognitive strategy use, and achievement. Endorsing personal performance goals at the start of the study was associated with maladaptive outcomes such as increased social loafing and reduced achievement; personal performance goals were also associated with higher levels of positive affect in math. Although there were few significant interactions between personal goals and classroom goals, the results suggested that both personal goals and classroom goals had independent, unique effects. Implications for achievement goal theory in terms of the benefits and/or detriments of performance goals and the creation of classrooms with multiple goals (mastery and performance) are discussed. Suggestions are also made for educators using cooperative groups.