An Investigation on The Relationship Between Achievement Goal Orientation, Approaches To Learning and Academic Achievement of College Students: The Case of Bonga College of Teacher Education
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Date
2012-06
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Addis Ababa Univerisity
Abstract
The general objective of the current study was to assess the relationship between achievement
goal orientation, approaches to learning and academic achievement of college students. For the
study, 243 sample college students from Bonga College Teacher Education (BCTE) were
selected through stratified random sampling method. Students’ goal orientation and approaches
to learning data were collected through two questionnaires. Academic achievement of the study
participants was collected from BCTE registrar office. Correlation, regression and independent
t-test were employed in the analysis of the data.
The result of the study revealed that i) there was a statistically significant relationship between
goal orientation and academic achievement. Academic achievement was related positively with
mastery and performance approach goals; and related negatively with performance avoidance
goal; ii) among approaches to learning components, strategic approach positively and surface
approach negatively related with academic achievement of college students, while deep
approach was not; iii) there was statistically significant relationship between goal orientation
and approaches to learning components. Mastery and performance approach goals related
positively with both deep and strategic approaches to learning. Mastery goal negatively
correlated with surface approaches to learning, whereas performance avoidance goal was
positively related with surface approach and negatively related with both deep and strategic
approaches to learning; v) with regard to sex differences in goal orientation and approaches to
learning, the t-test revealed a significant difference between the two sex groups in goal
orientation as well as approaches to learning variables except surface approach to learning;
and vi) goal orientation components have statistically significant joint contribution to the
prediction of college students’ academic achievement. Similarly, approaches to learning have
significant joint contributions to the prediction of college academic achievement. However,
further analysis of each variable demonstrated that only performance approach goal,
performance avoidance goal and surface approach to learning have significant contribution to
the prediction of academic achievement. It is concluded that goal orientation variables are part
of the non cognitive variables related with college students learning approaches and academic
achievement. Therefore, college instructors and counselors need to think about conditions to
avoid students’ tendency to adopt performance avoidance goal as well as use surface approach
in their college education.
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Education