Achievement Goal Orientation as a Predictor of High-Impact Practice Participation for Postsecondary Students

• In Event: The Consortium of State and Regional Educational Research Associations Distinguished Paper Session 3

Abstract

Mid-Western Educational Research Association - Achievement goal orientation has been studied within education for decades, and previous research has linked the construct to student achievement and engagement as well as stress and anxiety that accompanies challenging new material. This study uses achievement goal orientation as a framework for exploring high-impact practice participation for approximately 8,000 college students across 15 different institutions participating in the National Survey of Student Engagement. Through a series of binary logistic regression analyses, results suggest seniors who employ a mastery-approach orientation are more likely to partake in a variety of beneficial high-impact practices, such as learning communities, research with faculty, service-learning, study abroad, culminating experience, and formal leadership roles. Results for the remaining achievement goal orientations were more mixed.

Author

• Angie L. Miller, Indiana University