Multiple goal orientations and metacognition in middle school students

This study investigated how students with varying multiple goal orientation profiles, including the performance-avoidance orientation, differed in their metacognitive awareness, metacognitive strategy use, and their use of shallow and deep processing strategies. The study modeled Midgley and Urdan's (2001) design, using median splits, to form multiple goal orientation groups. Surveys, specific to the math and science subject areas, were given to 197 middle school students. Significant differences were found in both sets of groups, Mastery/Performance-Approach and Mastery/Performance-Avoidance, on the combination of test variables. Generally, students in the High Mastery groups combined with either high or low levels of performance-approach or performance-avoidance orientation reported greater use of metacognitive and deep processing strategies. A priori contrast ANOVAs demonstrated that the mastery orientation is the distinguishing factor between groups as the High Mastery groups reported greater use of metacognition and processing strategies in comparison to the Low Mastery groups regardless of the level of either performance-approach or performance-avoidance orientation. In almost all instances, adopting high levels of either performance orientations was more conducive to metacognitive awareness and strategy use when associated with Low Mastery. The practical implications are that students with low mastery orientation may be at-risk for less metacognitive awareness and self-regulated learning.