What do hungarian students think about when filling out the likert-type scalegoal structure questionnaire?

Abstract

Goal theory is one of the most influential approaches today to explore the relationship between the classroom environment and learning motivation. It uses goal structures to map the motivational characteristics of the classroom in a holistic way. Earlier studies mostly focused on the relationship between goal structures and the teachers’ classroom practice. The present research, however, aims to reveal what other characteristics of the classroom environment can be linked to the perception of goal structures. The paper summarizes the findings of two empirical studies. The first study aimed at developing Hungarian questionnaire for measuring goal structures in the classroom. It involved 168 students from grade 5 to grade 7. The second study examined the relationship between the perception of classroom goal structures and other characteristics of the classroom environment through open-ended questions linked to Likert-type statements. It analyzed the responses of 450 students from grade 7. The Classroom Goal Structure Questionnaire was shown to be reliable and valid. Most of the statements of the final version of the questionnaire are identical in content with the statements of the original questionnaire; only small adjustments have been made. One area of the original scales for mastery goal structure and performance goal structure, respectively, could not be demonstrated. In the second study, when theopinion of the students was given more emphasis, the social characteristics of the classroom were most influential. Teacher-student pedagogical interactions were the most frequently indicated for both mastery and performance goal structure. Furthermore, evaluation turned out to be important for mastery goal structure, and the recognition of peers for performance goal structure. TARGET dimensions were not prominent for any of the goal structures.