A Brief Intervention to Aid Struggling Students: A Case of Too Much Motivation?

Abstract

This study examines two interventions for altering achievement goals in an effort to enhance academic success in struggling Introductory Psychology students. The procedures involved an in-class lecture and an interactive computerized tutorial. Both procedures were successful in altering motivation. This led to changes in study activities and increased examination and course grades. In fact, the rate of failure was cut in half in the students who completed the interventions. However, the procedures were not as successful at attracting students who were at risk for academic failure. Only 12% of the target students completed the first intervention while 55% of the target students completed the computerized tutorial. Participation in the computerized intervention was enough to markedly reduce the number of failing grades earned by the class as a whole. Additions and alterations to the interventions are proposed to extend their efficacy. Keywords: achievement goals, goal orientation, academic success, mastery, performance I. Introduction Many teachers firmly believe that motivation is important to the learning process. Most teachers believe that a minimal amount of motivation is necessary and that higher amounts of motivation are better. Teachers often attribute problems in the learning process to a lack of motivation. In this paper, we explore some of the links between motivation and academic success. Our work is informed by a theory, alternatively known as Achievement Motivation Theory or Goal Orientation Theory, which posits that multiple varieties of motivation exist and that moderate levels of some varieties are preferable to high levels of other varieties. In fact, some of the problems in the learning process may result from high levels of particular kinds of motivation. Goal orientation theory suggests that when students engage in a class, they strive to reach one or more goals (Ames & Archer, 1988; Dweck & Leggett, 1988; Harackiewicz, Barron, & Elliot, 1998; Hidi & Harackiewicz, 2000). Two goals are of primary importance: mastery goals and performance goals. Students who adopt mastery goals are interested in learning the material in the class and strive to master that material (Ames, 1992; Blumenfeld, 1992; Dweck & Leggett,