Student profiles of achievement goals, goal instructions and external feedback: Their effect on mathematical task performance and affect

Abstract

The present study investigated how student profiles of achievement goals and other person characteristics along with situational factors, such as goal-orientation instructions and external feedback, influence performance, metacognitive experiences and emotions during mathematical problem solving. The study involved 870 students of seventh and ninth grade of both genders. Students completed a series of self-report questionnaires tapping attitude toward mathematics, test anxiety, mathematics self-concept, and achievement goal orientations. Ability in mathematics and performance on mathematical tasks were also measured along with metacognitive experiences and emotions, such as interest, and liking of the tasks. Hierarchical cluster analysis revealed 8 distinct student profiles with only some of them involving achievement goal orientations. A series of MANOVAS revealed significant effects of profile and treatment on task performance, on metacognitive experiences and emotions, as well as a significant interaction of profile with treatment in the case of effort ratings.

Key words: Achievement goal orientations, students’ profiles, feedback, metacognitive experiences, interest.