Changes in Achievement Goal Profiles of students in a Highly Active Design Thinking Classroom

Lakshmy Mohandas; Wonki Lee; Nathan Mentzer

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Conference: 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Publication Date: August 23, 2022
Start Date: June 26, 2022
End Date: June 29, 2022
Conference Session: First-Year Programs Division Technical Session 5: Design and Robotics
Page Count: 15
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--41379
Permanent URL: https://strategy.asee.org/41379
Download Count: 345

Paper Authors

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Lakshmy Mohandas Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE)

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I am a final-semester Ph.D. student in engineering technology at Purdue. My career goal is to become an educator who uses innovative techniques to create a conducive learning environment that makes education more accessible, equitable, and valuable for all students. My dissertation is on understanding the impact of the synchronous HyFlex model on students' perception of Community of Inquiry.

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Wonki Lee Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE)

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Nathan Mentzer Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE)

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Nathan Mentzer

Nathan Mentzer is an associate professor in the Purdue Polytechnic College jointly and College of Education. Strategically hired for the P12 STEM initiative, Dr. Mentzer prepares Technology and Engineering candidates for teacher licensure, conducts research and mentors graduate students. Nathan has taken an active role in guiding the evolution of the undergraduate teacher education program, an Integrated STEM education concentration and a minor in design and innovation at Purdue informed by his National Science Foundation funded research on Design Thinking.

Nathan is strategic in connecting theory, practice and research. He engages P16 educators in research efforts to develop innovative pedagogical strategies situated in STEM education classrooms. He is active in the International Technology and Engineering Education’s Association through national and international professional development. His current research efforts focus on improving learning using ACJ as a primer, expanding accessibility using HyFlex participation and broadening participation in STEM education through co-robotics.

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Abstract

Motivation: This is a complete research paper. Design thinking is a process that promotes teaching and learning of different skills that are required for the twenty-first century (Retna, 2015). The fast-growing enthusiasm in teaching and learning design thinking, which includes a set of complex ideas, processes, and concepts, has many pedagogical challenges that would have a direct effect on student motivation in those courses (Royalty, 2018). The importance of motivating students academically has always been an interest in educational research. According to (Harackiewicz & Linnenbrink, 2005), a strong area in the domain of achievement motivation is achievement goal theory.

Background: The two main achievement goals that individuals pursue are mastery goals and performance goals (Schunk et al., 2008). A mastery goal focuses the learner to engage in an activity with the desire to learn and understand materials/content/skills and to develop competence. A performance goal focused student engages in an activity to show competence to others and outperform others. Previous literature suggests ideal goal orientation profiles for students might include high mastery and moderate performance. Compared to other courses, challenges associated with design thinking could have a direct effect on the achievement goals. For example, the design thinking process being ambiguous in nature might affect mastery-oriented students as they might find it difficult to achieve competence. Prior literature does not include studies related to achievement goal profiles in design thinking classrooms.

Problem Being Addressed: Through this study, we are trying to understand a) if there are groups of students with significantly different student achievement goal orientation profiles in design thinking classrooms and b) if there is change in students’ achievement goal orientation during a design project. The results may illuminate the extent to which the students’ goal profiles are ideal for learning. An understanding of students' profiles and how they are dynamic or stable across time may help inform interventions to support student learning in design thinking classrooms.

Method/Assessment:

A K-means Euclidean cluster analysis was performed to understand the different achievement goal clusters of students. Next an analysis of change over time was conducted.

Result: The three clusters that emerged were a) Higher Mastery and Performance, b) Lower Mastery with Higher Performance and c) Lower Mastery and Moderate Performance. The results of the statistical analysis showed that there was a significant drop in mastery goal orientation during the design project, but no change in performance or performance-avoidance goals.

Citation
Format

Mohandas, L., & Lee, W., & Mentzer, N. (2022, August), Changes in Achievement Goal Profiles of students in a Highly Active Design Thinking Classroom Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--41379

TY - CPAPER
AB - Motivation: This is a complete research paper. Design thinking is a process that promotes teaching and learning of different skills that are required for the twenty-first century (Retna, 2015). The fast-growing enthusiasm in teaching and learning design thinking, which includes a set of complex ideas, processes, and concepts, has many pedagogical challenges that would have a direct effect on student motivation in those courses (Royalty, 2018). The importance of motivating students academically has always been an interest in educational research. According to (Harackiewicz & Linnenbrink, 2005), a strong area in the domain of achievement motivation is achievement goal theory.

Background: The two main achievement goals that individuals pursue are mastery goals and performance goals (Schunk et al., 2008). A mastery goal focuses the learner to engage in an activity with the desire to learn and understand materials/content/skills and to develop competence. A performance goal focused student engages in an activity to show competence to others and outperform others. Previous literature suggests ideal goal orientation profiles for students might include high mastery and moderate performance. Compared to other courses, challenges associated with design thinking could have a direct effect on the achievement goals. For example, the design thinking process being ambiguous in nature might affect mastery-oriented students as they might find it difficult to achieve competence. Prior literature does not include studies related to achievement goal profiles in design thinking classrooms.

Problem Being Addressed: Through this study, we are trying to understand a) if there are groups of students with significantly different student achievement goal orientation profiles in design thinking classrooms and b) if there is change in students’ achievement goal orientation during a design project. The results may illuminate the extent to which the students’ goal profiles are ideal for learning. An understanding of students' profiles and how they are dynamic or stable across time may help inform interventions to support student learning in design thinking classrooms.

Method/Assessment:

A K-means Euclidean cluster analysis was performed to understand the different achievement goal clusters of students. Next an analysis of change over time was conducted.

Result: The three clusters that emerged were a) Higher Mastery and Performance, b) Lower Mastery with Higher Performance and c) Lower Mastery and Moderate Performance. The results of the statistical analysis showed that there was a significant drop in mastery goal orientation during the design project, but no change in performance or performance-avoidance goals.
AU - Lakshmy Mohandas
AU - Wonki Lee
AU - Nathan Mentzer
CY - Minneapolis, MN
DA - 2022/08/23
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Changes in Achievement Goal Profiles of students in a Highly Active Design Thinking Classroom
UR - https://strategy.asee.org/41379
DO - 10.18260/1-2--41379
ER -