The concept of mastery learning was formally identified and explained by Benjamin Bloom and his colleagues in 1968. Since that time, there have been strong supporters (Guskey, 2010; Hunter, 1982; Meece et al., 2006) and critics (Anderson & Burns, 1987; Arlin & Webster, 1983; Slavin, 1987, 1989) of this strategy and the educational…

This study examined the achievement goal orientations and resource management strategies of adult and traditional learners. Based on Elliot and McGregor's (2001) achievement goal theoretical framework and Pintrinch and colleagues' (1991) self-regulated learning conceptual framework, this study examined the difference of achievement goal…

The purpose of this study was to examine self-efficacy beliefs, learning strategy, and goal orientation of college-level English Language Learners (ELLs) enrolled in English as a Second Language (ESL) program. This study was conducted to further analyze the relationships among self-efficacy beliefs, learning strategies, and goal orientations of…

At the start of the 21st century large scale educational initiatives reshaped the landscape of general education setting rigorous academic expectations to all students. Despite the legal efforts to improve K-12 education, an abundance of research indicates that students entering college often lack basic learning and study skills. For adolescents…

Students' perceptions influence their expectations and values. According to Expectations and Values Theory of Achievement Motivation (EVT-AM), students' expectations and values impact their behaviors (Eccles & Wigfield, 2002). This study seeks to find students' perceptions of developmental mathematics in a mastery learning computer-based…

Previous research showed that motivation influences writing in school settings (Hidi & Boscolo, 2006), but further empirical research is needed to understand how motivation influences specific writing tasks (Bruning & Horn, 2000; Haswell, 2006). This study addresses that gap in research by investigating how the motivational construct of…

Achievement goal theory and thus, the empirical measures stemming from the research, are currently divided on two conceptual approaches, namely the reason versus aims-based models of achievement goals. The factor structure and predictive utility of goal constructs from the Patterns of Adaptive Learning Strategies (PALS) and the latest two versions…

The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of underprepared students regarding the effectiveness of two teaching strategies: cooperative learning and mastery learning, and the strategy the students perceive to be more beneficial than the other. Specific questions that guided the study are: How do underprepared students perceive the…

Over the past 2 years, almost 45% of the students attending a local suburban high school failed Algebra 2. The purpose of this study was to compare the impact of a cooperative instructional technique (student teams-achievement divisions [STAD]) to traditional instructional methods on performance in high school algebra. Motivational and cognitive…

This study empirically evaluated the effectiveness of the instructional design, learning tools, and role of the teacher in three versions of a semester-long, high-school remedial Algebra I course to determine what impact self-regulated learning skills and learning pattern training have on students' self-regulation, math achievement, and…

This qualitative, grounded-theory study investigated learning motivation differences among three achievement groupings of undergraduate students enrolled in the College of Education and Human Sciences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Nine students participated in in-depth interviews that explored their reasons for pursuing their degree,…

This study investigated the use of reflective portfolios in science as a means to provide students a medium to develop a repertoire of study and self-regulation strategies. These self-regulation strategies can be accessed and utilized by students to engage in independent study and help to manage workloads from multiple teachers. The use of a…

First-year students experience academic, social, and emotional adjustments as they transition to college. First-year experience courses support students in this transitional phase by helping them integrate into the campus environment and by teaching them college-appropriate learning strategies. This study explored the role that participation in a…