The Influence of Students’ Self-Determination and Personal Achievement Goals in Learning and Engagement: A Mediation Model for Traditional and Nontraditional Students
Self-determination theory (SDT) and achievement goal theory (AGT) assume that students’ level of self-determination and the goals they pursue in class are important factors in engagement and learning. The aims of this study were to: (1) investigate the links between the students’ types of motivation...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Education Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/6/369 |
| _version_ | 1797488120702173184 |
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| author | Ana Rothes Marina S. Lemos Teresa Gonçalves |
| author_facet | Ana Rothes Marina S. Lemos Teresa Gonçalves |
| author_sort | Ana Rothes |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Self-determination theory (SDT) and achievement goal theory (AGT) assume that students’ level of self-determination and the goals they pursue in class are important factors in engagement and learning. The aims of this study were to: (1) investigate the links between the students’ types of motivation and personal achievement goals; (2) explore how these two sets of variables relate to learning, engagement, and exploring mediation effects; and (3) understand the specificities of nontraditional students vs. traditional students, regarding the way these variables relate to each other. The study used a sample of 361 Portuguese adult students, 138 traditional (younger than 25 years old), and 223 nontraditional (active adults returning to education, 25 or older). The instruments used were: Self-regulation Questionnaire—Learning, Personal Achievement Goal Orientations Scale, Adult Learning Strategies Evaluation Scale and Behavioral Engagement Questionnaire. Path analysis for the total sample revealed that mastery goals mediated the relationship between autonomous motivation and all educational outcomes, and performance-avoidance goals mediated the relationship between introjected regulation, external regulation, and behavioral and emotional engagement. Multiple-group path analysis revealed a much stronger pattern of relationships for nontraditional students, especially between the SDT and AGT variables. The theoretical and practical implications of the study are discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:57:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9507778c5e2e4e33a6ef348b9518bf72 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-7102 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:57:36Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Education Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-9507778c5e2e4e33a6ef348b9518bf722023-11-23T16:22:40ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022022-05-0112636910.3390/educsci12060369The Influence of Students’ Self-Determination and Personal Achievement Goals in Learning and Engagement: A Mediation Model for Traditional and Nontraditional StudentsAna Rothes0Marina S. Lemos1Teresa Gonçalves2Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, PortugalFaculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, PortugalSchool of Education, Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo, 4901-908 Viana do Castelo, PortugalSelf-determination theory (SDT) and achievement goal theory (AGT) assume that students’ level of self-determination and the goals they pursue in class are important factors in engagement and learning. The aims of this study were to: (1) investigate the links between the students’ types of motivation and personal achievement goals; (2) explore how these two sets of variables relate to learning, engagement, and exploring mediation effects; and (3) understand the specificities of nontraditional students vs. traditional students, regarding the way these variables relate to each other. The study used a sample of 361 Portuguese adult students, 138 traditional (younger than 25 years old), and 223 nontraditional (active adults returning to education, 25 or older). The instruments used were: Self-regulation Questionnaire—Learning, Personal Achievement Goal Orientations Scale, Adult Learning Strategies Evaluation Scale and Behavioral Engagement Questionnaire. Path analysis for the total sample revealed that mastery goals mediated the relationship between autonomous motivation and all educational outcomes, and performance-avoidance goals mediated the relationship between introjected regulation, external regulation, and behavioral and emotional engagement. Multiple-group path analysis revealed a much stronger pattern of relationships for nontraditional students, especially between the SDT and AGT variables. The theoretical and practical implications of the study are discussed.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/6/369self-determination theoryachievement goal theorylearning/engagementtraditional vs. nontraditional students |
| spellingShingle | Ana Rothes Marina S. Lemos Teresa Gonçalves The Influence of Students’ Self-Determination and Personal Achievement Goals in Learning and Engagement: A Mediation Model for Traditional and Nontraditional Students Education Sciences self-determination theory achievement goal theory learning/engagement traditional vs. nontraditional students |
| title | The Influence of Students’ Self-Determination and Personal Achievement Goals in Learning and Engagement: A Mediation Model for Traditional and Nontraditional Students |
| title_full | The Influence of Students’ Self-Determination and Personal Achievement Goals in Learning and Engagement: A Mediation Model for Traditional and Nontraditional Students |
| title_fullStr | The Influence of Students’ Self-Determination and Personal Achievement Goals in Learning and Engagement: A Mediation Model for Traditional and Nontraditional Students |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Influence of Students’ Self-Determination and Personal Achievement Goals in Learning and Engagement: A Mediation Model for Traditional and Nontraditional Students |
| title_short | The Influence of Students’ Self-Determination and Personal Achievement Goals in Learning and Engagement: A Mediation Model for Traditional and Nontraditional Students |
| title_sort | influence of students self determination and personal achievement goals in learning and engagement a mediation model for traditional and nontraditional students |
| topic | self-determination theory achievement goal theory learning/engagement traditional vs. nontraditional students |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/6/369 |
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