GOAL THEORIES IN

LEARNING
 Information Sheet: FACI 213

Lesson 12: Goal Theories in Learning

Learning Objectives:
After reading this INFORMATION SHEET, YOU MUST be able to:
1. Explore goal theories in learning.

Goal theory is the label used in educational psychology to discuss

research into motivation to learn. Goals of learning are thought to be a key
factor influencing the level of a student's intrinsic motivation.
Task/Ego Involvement
A student is described as task-involved when they are interested in the
task for its own qualities. This is associated with higher intrinsic motivation.
Task-involved students are less threatened by failure because their own ego is
not tied up in the success of the task.
A student who is ego-involved will be seeking to perform the task to boost
their own ego, for the praise that completing the task might attract, or because
completing the task confirms their own self-concept (e.g. clever, strong, funny
etc...). Ego-involved students can become very anxious or discouraged in the
face of failure, because such failure challenges their self-concept.
Approach/Avoidance Goals
Not all goals are directed towards approaching a desirable outcome (e.g.,
demonstrating competence). Goals can also be directed towards avoiding an
undesirable outcome (e.g., avoiding the demonstration of incompetence to
others).
It is thought that approach goals contribute positively to intrinsic
motivation whereas avoidance goals do not.
Performance Goals
A performance goal is a goal focused on gaining favourable judgement or
avoiding unfavourable judgements by others. Performance goals focus on
ensuring that one's performance is noticeably superior to others. This
motivation to outperform others is what enables the person to strive for more
achievement in and outside of school and work as well.
In the classroom
Performance goals can heavily impact adolescents in the classroom. This
deep desire to out-do those around oneself can alter classroom ideologies in
each student; some for the better and sometimes for the worse. For the
betterment of performance in class, performance goals lead students to place a
greater importance on GPA and class rankings. This in turn, leads to better
academic performance. Along with a focus on grades, students see exams as a
competitive competition that also allows them to enhance their performance.

Bachelor in Technical Date Developed:

Bulacan
Vocational Teacher July 2020
Polytechnic Page 2 of 3
Education Date Revised:
College
July 2020
Facilitating Learner-
Document No. Developed by:
Centered Teaching Revision # 02
40-FACI 213 Delilah U. Orillosa
FACI 213
 There is a significant advantage in academic performance in students
who possess performance goals in the classroom. It also generates a healthy
form of competition between peers enhancing peer relationships and grades
among all of those particular students.
Performance goals lead to a strong sense of commitment that can appear
in the classroom and also outside of the classroom as well. The student
exemplifies a strong relationship with the goal of doing better than others, and
this leads to a long-term commitment to achieving that goal.
On the other hand, there can be extensive downsides that can come
along with focusing entirely on out-performing others. Students can feel
accomplished when they receive a better grade on the test than everyone else,
but that can simply be linked to memorization and not full
comprehension. There comes a conflict when the student attempts to fully
comprehend new information on top of trying to focus on doing better than
those around them.
The student may not be able to handle the combined pressure of learning
and constant competition; one of those two variables must alter. Other
concerns involve stress on the student to try to keep up with those around
them, tension in the classroom as a student struggles with asking questions for
fear of seeming incapable to others, and anxiety and frustration with all of
those variables on top of each other.

Bachelor in Technical Date Developed:

Bulacan
Vocational Teacher July 2020
Polytechnic Page 3 of 3
Education Date Revised:
College
July 2020
Facilitating Learner-
Document No. Developed by:
Centered Teaching Revision # 02
40-FACI 213 Delilah U. Orillosa
FACI 213