Researchers’ achievement goals: Prevalence, structure, and associations with job burnout/engagement and professional learning

Researchers’ Achievement Goals: Prevalence, Structure, and Associations with Job Burnout/Engagement and Professional Learning

10.31234/osf.io/3cj5z ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Martin Daumiller ◽

Markus Dresel

Keyword(s):

Measurement Invariance ◽

Professional Learning ◽

Achievement Goals ◽

Job Burnout ◽

Achievement Goal Theory ◽

Performance Goals ◽

Goal Theory ◽

Learning Approach ◽

Work Avoidance ◽

Avoidance Goals

Researchers’ motivations are important for high-quality research and the productivity of the scientific system, but have been little investigated. Using three studies, we tested the usefulness of Achievement Goal Theory for describing research motivations, investigated which goals researchers pursue, and examined their associations with job burnout/engagement and professional learning. Interviewing 20 researchers (Study 1), we found that most of their goals in the research context were classifiable as achievement goals. Apart from (well-established in the literature) mastery and performance goals, they also mentioned relational and work-avoidance goals. Mastery goals comprised task and learning standards, performance goals appearance and normative strivings. In Study 2, we used a standardized questionnaire to assess these goals in 824 researchers, along with burnout/engagement levels, professional learning time, and professional learning gains. Results confirmed the separability of all conceptualized goals, measurement invariance across academic status, and differential patterns of associations with burnout/engagement and professional learning. In Study 3, we evaluated these constructs in 471 researchers at two time points, six months apart. Results attested measurement invariance over time. Cross-lagged analyses documented similar associations as in Study 2. Learning approach and relational goals had positive effects on professional learning; appearance avoidance and work-avoidance goals were negative predictors. In contrast, burnout was negatively predicted by normative avoidance goals. However, high initial burnout levels were associated with reduced task approach and learning approach, and stronger work-avoidance goals six months later. Taken together, this highlights the usefulness of Achievement Goal Theory for understanding researchers’ motivations, and their relatedness with professional learning and well-being at work.

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Researchers’ achievement goals: Prevalence, structure, and associations with job burnout/engagement and professional learning

10.31234/osf.io/ahx35 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Martin Daumiller ◽

Markus Dresel

Keyword(s):

Measurement Invariance ◽

Professional Learning ◽

Achievement Goals ◽

Well Being ◽

Job Burnout ◽

Performance Goals ◽

Learning Approach ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Work Avoidance ◽

Avoidance Goals

Researchers’ motivations are important for high-quality research and the productivity of the scientific system, but remain largely uninvestigated. Using three studies, we tested the usefulness of Achievement Goal Theory (AGT) for describing research motivations, investigated which goals researchers pursue, and examined their associations with job burnout/engagement and professional learning. Interviewing 20 researchers (Study 1), we found that most of their goals in the research context were classifiable as achievement goals. Apart from mastery and performance goals that are well-established in the AGT literature, they also mentioned relational and work-avoidance goals. Mastery goals comprised task and learning standards, performance goals comprised appearance and normative strivings. In Study 2, we used a standardized questionnaire to assess these goals in 824 researchers, along with burnout/engagement, professional learning time, and professional learning gains. Results confirmed the separability of all conceptualized goals, measurement invariance across academic status, and differential patterns of associations with burnout/engagement and professional learning. In Study 3, we analyzed these constructs in 471 researchers at two time points, six months apart. Results attested measurement invariance over time. Cross-lagged analyses documented similar associations as in Study 2. Learning approach and relational goals had positive effects on professional learning; appearance avoidance and work-avoidance goals were negative predictors. In contrast, burnout was negatively predicted by normative avoidance goals. However, high initial burnout levels were associated with reduced task approach and learning approach, and stronger work-avoidance goals six months later. Taken together, the results highlight the usefulness of AGT for understanding researchers’ motivations, and their relatedness with professional learning and well-being at work.

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Navigating the leadership tensions in creating collective responsibility

Journal of Professional Capital and Community ◽

10.1108/jpcc-03-2020-0014 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Deidre Le Fevre ◽

Frauke Meyer ◽

Linda Bendikson

Keyword(s):

School Improvement ◽

Teacher Perceptions ◽

Professional Learning ◽

Achievement Goals ◽

Collective Responsibility ◽

Leadership Practice ◽

Content Type ◽

Qualitative Case Studies ◽

Staff Members ◽

Teachers Beliefs

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to use a collective responsibility theoretical lens to examine the work of three school principals as they focussed on school-wide goal-setting processes to achieve valued student achievement goals. The tensions principals face in creating collective responsibility are examined so that these might be intentionally navigated.Design/methodology/approachQualitative case studies of three New Zealand schools include data from interviews with principals, middle leaders and teachers. An inductive and deductive thematic analysis approach was employed.FindingsPrincipals face four key tensions: (1) whether to promote self or centrally directed and voluntary or mandatory professional learning; (2) how to balance a top-down versus a middle-up process for accountability; (3) ways to integrate both educator and student voice and (4) the complexity of both challenging teachers' beliefs and providing support. These challenges seemed inherent in the work of developing collective responsibility and leaders tended to move along response continuum.Research limitations/implicationsThis research highlights the importance of being intentional and transparent with staff members about both the nature of these tensions and their navigation, and opens up further questions in relation to leader, and teacher perceptions of tensions in creating collective responsibility for achieving school-improvement goals.Practical implicationsAn understanding of the tensions that need to be navigated can help leaders and other educators to take effective action, scrutinize the reasoning behind decisions, and understand the inherent challenges faced.Originality/valueLeadership tensions in creating collective responsibility are explored and implications for leadership practice and learning considered.

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Perceptions of a Collaborative Professional Learning Program: Seeing the “Bigger Picture”

Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups ◽

10.1044/2019_persp-19-00041 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 290-303

Author(s):

P. Charlie Buckley ◽

Kimberly A. Murza ◽

Tami Cassel

Keyword(s):

Data Analysis ◽

Professional Learning ◽

Social Communication ◽

Special Educators ◽

Service Providers ◽

Integrative Approach ◽

Theory Approach ◽

Learning Program ◽

Speech Language Pathologists ◽

Related Service

Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of special education practitioners (i.e., speech-language pathologists, special educators, para-educators, and other related service providers) on their role as communication partners after participation in the Social Communication and Engagement Triad (Buckley et al., 2015 ) yearlong professional learning program. Method A qualitative approach using interviews and purposeful sampling was used. A total of 22 participants who completed participation in either Year 1 or Year 2 of the program were interviewed. Participants were speech-language pathologists, special educators, para-educators, and other related service providers. Using a grounded theory approach (Glaser & Strauss, 1967 ) to data analysis, open, axial, and selective coding procedures were followed. Results Three themes emerged from the data analysis and included engagement as the goal, role as a communication partner, and importance of collaboration. Conclusions Findings supported the notion that educators see the value of an integrative approach to service delivery, supporting students' social communication and engagement across the school day but also recognizing the challenges they face in making this a reality.

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Nonconscious Activation of Achievement Goals

Swiss Journal of Psychology ◽

10.1024/1421-0185.68.4.193 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 68 (4) ◽

pp. 193-200 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Stefan Engeser

Keyword(s):

Achievement Goals ◽

Priming Effect ◽

Achievement Goal ◽

Word Class ◽

Achievement Motive ◽

Goal Priming ◽

Series Of Experiments ◽

Research Questions

In a series of experiments, Bargh, Gollwitzer, Lee-Chai, Barndollar, and Trötschel (2001) documented that achievement goals can be activated outside of awareness and can then operate nonconsciously in order to guide self-regulated behavior effectively. In three experiments (N = 69, N = 71, N = 56), two potential moderators of the achievement goal priming effect were explored. All three experiments showed small but consistent effects of the nonconscious activation of the achievement goal, though word class did not moderate the priming effect. There was no support for the hypothesis that the explicit achievement motive moderates the priming effect. Implications are addressed in the light of other recent studies in this domain and further research questions are outlined.

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