What are the relationships between college students’ goal orientations and learning strategies?

Abstract

Few studies have been done to examine the relationships between students’ goal orientations (or achievement motivation) and their learning strategies with case studies. This study examined how five educational psychology students’ goal orientations would influence their learning strategies with a semi-structured interview method. The results showed that all students who used complex, multidimensional goal orientations also used versatile learning strategies depending on their specific needs in class. The findings showed that some exhibited goal orientations (mastery/performance) and other unusual goal orientations, were inconsistent with the extant literature. These dimensions were not clear-cut as in other quantitative methods. With regards to learning strategies, the common learning strategies were seeking help and rehearsal learning strategies. Students altered their learning strategies to their perceived optimal learning strategies based on their learning experiences in the past. The implication for classroom practice was that instructors could incorporate different tasks and assignments in order to motivate, encourage students’ use of multiple learning strategies and goal orientations.