Simultaneously Students and Teachers: Comparing Measures of Achievement Goals for Preservice Teachers

• In Event: Preservice Teachers as Both Learners and Teachers

Abstract

Pre-service teachers are simultaneously students and teachers. Thus, researchers may struggle when choosing an appropriate measurement tool. This research compared Elliot and Murayama’s (2008) measure of students’ goals with Butler’s (2007) measure of teachers’ goals in predicting pre-service teachers’ cognitions (efficacy and commitment), emotions (enjoyment and anxiety), and intended instructional practices (mastery and performance). Although there were many similarities between the scales, when included in regressions together Butler’s scales emerged as the significant predictor in five of the six analyses. Moreover, mastery appeared as a significant predictor of each outcome in an adaptive direction. Thus, overall we recommend the use of Butler’s scale over Elliot and Murayama’s when focusing on professional outcomes with pre-service teachers.

Authors

• Lia Marie Daniels, University of Alberta

• Amanda Radil, University of Alberta