Goals, Goal Structures, and Patterns of Adaptive Learning (PDF)

Achievement goal theory has emerged as one of the preeminent approaches to motivation. Goals, Goal Structures, and Patterns of Adaptive Learning presents the findings of a large scale, longitudinal study that use goal theory as the lens through which to examine the relation among achievement goals, the learning context, and students' and teachers' patterns of cognition, affect, and behavior. These results are integrated within the larger literature on goal theory, providing an overview of the research that has been conducted, as well as suggestions that goal theory researchers might want to consider. Written by scholars who are well-known in the field, this book: *provides a comprehensive summary of research related to achievement goal theory--one of the preeminent approaches to motivation today; *presents a detailed overview of research conducted in conjunction with the Patterns of Adaptive Learning Study--a decade-long multi-faceted study employing both quantitative and qualitative methods. A description of the development, reliability, and validity of the Patterns of Adaptive Learning Scales is included. These scales are being used by many researchers using achievement goal theory in this country and internationally; *includes important information about the relevancy of achievement goal theory for an understanding of avoidance behaviors in schools; *describes the relevancy of achievement goal theory for children who are disaffected from school and schooling; and *points to the gaps in research on achievement goal theory, and provides guidance for future research in the field.