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Not All Goals are Equal

Six types of academic goal to consider

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Six Types of Goal

  • Performance Goals: “I want to demonstrate I’m the best in the class. If not, I want to beat a particular student I compete against.”
  • Mastery Goals: “I’m aiming to develop and improve in my ability to execute on a particular skill, which I’ve been reflecting on, tracking and practising.”
  • Challenge-Seeking Goals/Personal Bests: “I know how I tend to perform in these situations and I have data to evidence where I’m up to. I’m aiming to use feedback, reflection and practice to achieve my highest score yet.”
  • Performance Avoidance Goals: “I want to perform anonymously, so that I don’t stand out as in any way incompetent.”
  • Mastery-Avoidance Goals: “I know there’s a specific way I tend to mess this up. I’m focussing on avoiding that error in my execution.”
  • Failure Avoidance Goals: “I know what the pass mark is. I’m going to go into the exam focused on that, and just make sure I get over the line.”

copyright Steve Oakes and Martin Griffin info@vespa.academy

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“My aim is to get better at defining terms in short-answer questions. At the moment, I keep dropping marks.”

copyright Steve Oakes and Martin Griffin info@vespa.academy

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“Just as long as I don’t screw it all up, I’ll be happy.”

copyright Steve Oakes and Martin Griffin info@vespa.academy

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“I always run out of time in exams. I don’t care what happens in this exam – just as long as I don’t run out of time.”

copyright Steve Oakes and Martin Griffin info@vespa.academy

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“I got 63% last time, and 55% the time before that. I reckon I can get to 70% this time, as long as I revise well.”

copyright Steve Oakes and Martin Griffin info@vespa.academy

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“I need to come in the top 3 at least, or I’m going to feel like everyone else is cleverer than me.”

copyright Steve Oakes and Martin Griffin info@vespa.academy

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“I want a score that means my teacher doesn’t pick me out during the feedback lesson. I hate that.”

copyright Steve Oakes and Martin Griffin info@vespa.academy

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All the research into goal-setting shows that three of these goals lead to better performance, and three lead to worse. Can you guess which are the most successful types?

copyright Steve Oakes and Martin Griffin info@vespa.academy

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Studies show that approach goals get you better grades than avoidance goals.

Why might this be?

copyright Steve Oakes and Martin Griffin info@vespa.academy

Approach goals