Goal-Setting Theory

Learners can increase performance by setting goals. (Locke & Lantham, 2002)

Instructional Characteristics

When challenging goals are achieved, a learner will set a new challenging goal, thereby creating a continuous cycle of goal attainment and revision and increasing performance.

Dependent Variables

• Goal importance
• Goal difficulty
• Goal attainability
• Goal specificity
• Goal commitment

Desired Student Outcomes

• Learning goals vs. performance goals
• Directive function
• Energizing function
• Persistence
• Task-relevant knowledge
• Feedback
• Task-complexity
• Self-efficacy
• Ability

In Class

• Teacher helps students set goals by giving shorter timeline due dates for components of a major project.
• Formative feedback is given to boost self-efficacy and moderate goal achievement.

Out of Class

Student sets learning goals for a skill set that is most relevant to themselves.