Person-Centered Approach to Teacher Goals: Implications for Teacher Beliefs and Perceptions of the Classroom Environment

• In Event: Teacher Motivation and Implications for Teacher Outcomes: Diverse Theoretical and Methodological Approaches

Abstract

Objectives and Theoretical Framework
According to achievement goal theory, individuals approach a task with qualitatively distinct goals – to demonstrate or develop competence – and there is individual variability in motivation (Dweck & Leggett, 1988). Although students (Jang & Liu, 2012; Matos et al., 2017; Wilson et al., 2016) and teachers (Butler, 2007; Butler, 2014) pursue multiple goals, few studies use a multidimensional, person-centered approach (Wormington & Linnenbrink-Garcia, 2017). To our knowledge, only one study to date has examined teacher achievement goal profiles and their implications for teacher adjustment (Kunst et al., 2018). Examining teachers’ goal profiles may provide useful insights into teacher motivation and outcomes at the secondary level where teacher motivation is characterized as complex (Anderman et al., 2011). Teacher goals may have implications for their self-efficacy (Bandura, 1997; Woolfolk Hoy et al., 2006) and perceptions of the classroom environment (Patrick et al., 2007; Ryan & Patrick, 2001).
Adopting a multidimensional, person-centered perspective, this study: 1) identified distinct achievement goal profiles among sixth-grade teachers using cluster analysis; and 2) assessed whether goal profiles differed regarding teacher beliefs (self-efficacy, perceived control) and perceptions of the classroom environment (promoting social interaction and mutual respect).

Method
Surveys were collected (fall, spring) as part of a larger study at three large, diverse, urban middle schools in the southeastern US. Forty-four sixth-grade social studies teachers participated (75% female, 73% White). Measures included modified PALS scales for teacher goal orientations (Midgley et al., 2000), Teacher Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (Bandura, 1997), perceived control over planning and teaching (Griffin & Friedman, 2007), and modified Classroom Social Environment scales for teacher promotion of social interaction and mutual respect (Ryan & Patrick, 2001). All scales were reliable.

Results
Hierarchical cluster analyses (Punj & Stewart, 1983; Wang et al., 2002) identified three goal profiles in fall and four in spring (Table 1 descriptive statistics). There was a significant multivariate effect for cluster membership in fall F(4, 27)=20.08, p<.001 and spring F(6, 19)=15.66, p<.001. All univariate tests of goal profile membership were significant at p<.01 (Table 2). In the fall, there was a significant multivariate effect for profile membership F(8, 23)=2.29, p<.05. Univariate tests were significant for self-efficacy F(2, 29)=6.48, p<.01 and promoting social interaction F(2, 29)=5.16, p<.05 (Table 3).

Significance
The findings contribute to teacher achievement goal research, which has primarily focused on a variable-centered approach instead of a multidimensional, person-centered approach (Wormington & Linnenbrink-Garcia, 2017). To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate teachers have multiple goal profiles at the secondary level (mastery-focused, performance-focused, multigoal, low motivation). The low motivation profile was the largest group, followed by multigoal and mastery-focused. Performance-focused goal profile emerged in spring only, possibly due to state-wide standardized testing. Results align with research indicating relatively few teachers endorse mastery-oriented goal profiles (Kunst et al., 2018). Profiles had meaningful implications for teacher beliefs and perceptions of the classroom environment in the fall only, aligning with research indicating teachers’ beginning but not end-of-year reports are linked to significant differences in outcomes (Butler, 2012; Butler & Shibaz, 2014).

Authors

• Raven Robinson, University of North Florida

• Sarah Kiefer, University of South Florida

• Jonathan M Coker, University of South Florida - Tampa