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Self-Set Goal Setting an It’s Effect on Student Performance 1

Self-Set Goal Setting and Its Effect on Student Performance in the

Upper Elementary Math Classroom

Brenda Adams

Union University

December 7, 2017
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Self-Set Goal Setting and It’s Effect on Student Performance in the Upper Elementary Math

Classroom

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of self-set goals on student

performance in math in the upper elementary grades.

Research Questions

1. How does goal setting change elementary student attitudes towards math?

2. How does goal setting effect the performance of lower performing students versus higher

performing students?

3. How does goal setting effect elementary student attitudes towards working independently

at home to reach their goals?

Introduction

In today’s world of instant gratification, many educators may find it challenging to

motivate elementary math students to perform well on tasks that may not seem applicable to their

current lives as children. While many educators work tirelessly planning engaging lessons which

immerse students in practice that simulates how a skill will be used in the home or work place,

they may still find it is not enough to motivate all students to fully engage themselves in complex

tasks. Due to the impact that student achievement has on teacher effectiveness, as well as the

fact it is imperative today’s students be able to apply their skills and knowledge when entering

college or the work force, it is more important than ever that self-development and the intrinsic

motivation that goes with it must be nurtured in the elementary math classroom (Ugur,

Constantinescu, & Stevens, 2015).


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Educators may begin to wonder how to implement strategies that monitor and support

self-development in their students and fit it into a school day that already seems too short to get it

all in. How do educators foster intrinsic motivation in their students in today’s culture of instant

extrinsic rewards?

In the past several years, research has shown that goal setting in the classroom improves

student motivation (Turkay, 2015). Goals set by the teacher may help students understand

exactly how they must perform and what they must produce to master a set of expectations. For

educators to set clear, specific goals for their students, they must know exactly what they expect

students to be able to do in the end. Teachers who backwards plan, or begin their planning with

the already specified end goal in mind, tend to create goals that are more specific and support the

performance goal (Turkay, 2015).

While instructor-created goals are essential in communicating mastery and performance

expectations, students do not typically have input in creating the goals. Research has found that

students who help create or independently create their own learning goals have higher motivation

to focus on and persevere through challenging tasks (Turkay, 2015). These students are also

more likely to foster their own self-development. For example, students who set mastery based

goals tend to demonstrate more frequent use of self-regulated learning strategies (Shannon,

Salisbury-Glennon, & Shores, 2012). Students may be more likely to see the value in achieving

a goal that they have set for themselves.

Students may ask what they will get for meeting a goal. What’s in it for them? Students

may expect an extrinsic reward such as candy or a trip to the treasure box. While these methods

may motivate students, they may become dependent on the external prize and could create only

temporary motivation. It is important that students set frequently changing goals that are
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obtainable, so they experience the intrinsic rewards that come with accomplishing a goal.

Meeting these expectations causes a student to experience arousal, becoming excited and

building their self-confidence (Turkay, 2015).

Many factors contribute to student motivation, but self-set goals give students the

opportunity to have control of their learning. When students are able to set their own goals, the

learning that takes place to reach those goals is relevant to the student. However, student set

goals will need to align with teacher and state set goals for teachers to be considered effective.

With student motivation and the efficacy of goal setting in other grade levels and content areas in

mind, this study will investigate the question: How does self-set goal setting effect student

achievement in the upper elementary classroom?

Elementary School

Description. The elementary school curriculum consists of foundational skills needed in

reading, language, writing, and mathematics. Students are introduced to basic concepts in social

studies and science. Elementary schools may also catch deficits in reading and math at a time in

life when students are able to learn the most. Subjects are typically taught in a self contained

classroom by the same teacher. Most current elementary schools consist of students from

preschool to sixth grade and students typically range in age from around 4-11 years old (Gutek,

Howey, Mccarthy, Post & Quinn, n.d.).

History. Early elementary schools in the United States were usually overseen by

churches. Public schools began to replace some church led schools in the 1830’s. In the early

19th century, state supported schools began to emerge. The first school boards were elected and

standards for education were also created around the time (Gutek, Howey, Mccarthy, Post &

Quinn, n.d.).
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Teaching of Math

Description. Teachers of mathematics may find themselves teaching and assessing a

wide range of skills and strategies. At the elementary level, this could include number

recognition, number sense, computational fluency, conceptual understanding, and application of

mathematical knowledge. Students receive instruction in algebra and geometry on a regular

basis. Math instruction may include explicit teaching, memorization and rote practice, modeling

with manipulatives, and learning through investigation.

With the onset of the Common Core standards initiative, students are required to practice

and master rigorous standards. Not only are students at the elementary level expected to perform

at higher levels on state assessments, the standards themselves are high and tough to master.

Students spend a great amount of time learning multiple ways to solve the same problem using

numbers, words, and sketches. Students are also expected to justify, or prove, their solutions to a

problem, even if the answer is correct. This has caused a push back from parents and teachers

who believe that Common Core standards are not developmentally appropriate.

Because of this, many teachers find themselves creating their own curriculum that

provides students with the opportunity to explore, investigate, and problem solve, but also

exposes students to the basic algorithms and math facts that their parents grew up with.

History. The teaching of math in elementary schools in the United States began when

early settlers opened church-run schools (Gutek, Howey, Mccarthy, Post & Quinn, n.d.). These

schools taught basic arithmetic skills. During the 1940’s, the focus on math and other subject

matter instruction fell as the focus on life skills took over. During the 1950’s and 1960’s, more

mathematic classes were offered, but enrollment was slim. Math took another hit in the 1990’s

when parents and educators fought against the simplifying of math instruction when their
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students were issued textbooks that did little to progress these students in math (Klein, n.d.).

During the No Child Left Behind initiative, assessments were used to identify those students

with math deficits so that supplemental support can be given as soon as possible (Kubiszyn &

Borich, 2010). During the late 2000’s, many states agreed to adopt Common Core standards

which required students to think both in concrete and abstract terms in order to problem solve

(Klein, n.d.). Students not only are expected to be fluent in computation, but must also be able to

use alternative methods and strategies to demonstrate a conceptual understanding of why the

answer to a problem is what it is. They must also be able to apply their knowledge to real world

scenarios (Nation Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State

School Officers, 2017). .

Strategies. Quality math instruction does not rely on one strategy, but a combination of

many to be successful. In the elementary classroom, teacher should plan to implement a variety

of explicit instruction, cooperative learning, and peer tutoring.

Explicit instruction is the direct teaching of a skill. During explicit instruction, the

teacher usually models a specific skill for their students; first showing them how to do it, having

them do it with teacher support, and then finally the student can complete the task independently.

After checking for student mastery, the teacher must identify students who would benefit from

further instruction. Explicit instruction requires that the instructor maintain student focus

throughout the lesson to be successful (What evidence-based mathematics instructional strategies

can teachers employ?)

Cooperative learning involves several students working together to complete a task. This

task may be investigating or thinking of ways to solve problems, or completing a task together

using what they have already learned to solve a new challenge. These groups are typically
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heterogenous and require students to work with and engage with peers of different levels.

Studies have shown that cooperative learning groups not only increase motivation, but also

improve academic performance and positive behavior (What evidence-based mathematics

instructional strategies can teachers employ?).

There are many other benefits of cooperative learning. Besides increased motivation,

students improve their communication skills, have improved critical thinking skills, and have

higher levels of retention (Camacho & Legare, 2015). Problem based learning in cooperative

groups, which requires students to solve a problem through research, collecting and analyzing

data, and state their findings, require that students are active rather than passive in their learning

(Camacho & Legare, 2015).

Peer tutoring is the grouping together of two students. In this group, students work

together on previously taught skills. Students have the opportunity to review skills they may be

having difficult mastering with a student who has mastered that skill. It may also be useful as a

“learn by teaching” method (Baiduri, 2017).

Some major advantages of peer tutoring are the students have the opportunity to develop

language and interpersonal social skills, questions can be asked and receive immediate feedback,

and helps raise self-esteem (Baiduri, 2017). It the elementary grades, it may be necessary to

facility and guide your students through the process of asking and answering questions (Baiduri,

2017).

Goal Setting

Definition. Goal setting is the act of deciding on an outcome of some action. Academic

goals usually require learning and can be set by the student or the teacher. Instructors may use

backward design planning to set student goals. The goals must be clear about student
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expectations, so students can set their personal goals accordingly. Goals must also be specific

and challenging (Turkay, 2014).

History. It has been known that goal setting is more motivational than asking students to

do their best. Other studies have shown that goal setting increases success rates in educational

settings (Turkay, 2014).

Benefits. Students who set their own goals reach higher performance levels and set

higher academic goals. These students have the tendency to take more risks, show more

creativity, be more intrinsically motivated, and demonstrate a higher level of persistence. When

students reach their goals, they experience positive feelings which encourages them to work

towards new goals (Turkay, 2014).

Disadvantages. Many students will need to be taught how to set purposeful goals and

how to use different strategies to reach their goals. Teachers will need to spend time modeling

how create and reach goals. Students have to understand how goals can be used (Turkay, 2014).

Student Performance

Description. Student performance is both how students learn and interact in an academic

setting and how they perform on academic tasks. Performance expectations are usually set in the

form of state standards. Students may be evaluated on their performance using methods such as

rubrics, multiple choice or multiselect questioning, essays, and projects. Many states base

student performance on mandated summative testing scores, also known as high-stakes testing

(Kubiszyn & Borich, 2010).

Summation

Mathematics instruction has changed drastically over the years. To keep up in a world

that seems to see new technological and scientific innovations break through on a daily basis, we
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must continue to ensure the success of our students in the math classroom. It is imperative that

students at the elementary level have a stronger foundation than ever to meet the growing

demand of rigorous expectations. Students can no longer be successful with basic skills. A

thorough conceptual understanding of math concepts and strong reasoning skills are required to

be successful.

Government leaders are doing more to ensure student success in math. After the

textbook debacle of the 1990’s, it became clear that parents and teachers were not happy

watering down math for their students. Standards and expectations have been raised and are

more challenging than ever before. Students are not just expected to answer questions, but are

also expected to prove their answers and apply their knowledge to real world scenarios (Nation

Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers,

2017).

Due to the demands placed on students, intrinsic motivation is more important than ever.

Educators must find a way to keep their students motivated and engaged throughout the lesson.

This can be accomplished through using a variety of instructional strategies, ensuring that

students have time to work in groups as well one-on-one with their peers. It can also be

accomplished through goal setting.

Studies have shown that goal setting improves student motivation. When students reach

a goal, they are naturally rewarded. They feel good and have an overall feeling of excitement

and accomplishment. To be successful, students will need to be taught how to set goals that are

specific, measurable, reasonable, and obtainable. While it may seem that your time may be more

valuable being used on direct instruction, goal setting is a skill that students will need to use for
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the rest of their lives. Based on research findings, it is reasonable to say that the time spent up

front will pay off in the end.

With the high expectations set for students, it is important for them to feel that they have

some control over their learning. By teaching them to set goals for themselves, students have

some autonomy over their learning. Pairing this with cooperative learning, students are able to

learn in a way that is comfortable and natural for them, but they also have set standards for their

self, giving their learning direction. Goal setting should be part of the elementary classroom.
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References

Baiduri (2017, March 31). Elementary School Students' Spoken Activities and Their Responses

in Math Learning by Peer-Tutoring. Retrieved December 07, 2017, from

https://eric.ed.gov/?q=peer%2Btutoring&pr=on&ft=on&ff1=dtySince_2014&id=EJ1138

368

Camacho, D. J., & Legare, J. M. (2014, November 30). Opportunities to Create Active Learning

Techniques in the Classroom. Retrieved December 07, 2017, from

https://eric.ed.gov/?q=cooperative%2Blearning%2Bgroups&pr=on&ft=on&ff1=dtySince

_2014&id=EJ1127696

Doabler, C. T., Kosty, D. B., Smolkowski, K., Clarke, B., Miller, S. J., & Fein, H. (2015,

March). Examining the Association between Explicit Mathematics Instruction and

Student Mathematics Achievement. Retrieved December 07, 2017, from

http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/679969

Gutek, G. L., Howey, K. R., Mccarthy, J., Post, L. M. & Quinn, L. F., (n.d.). Elementary

Education - Current Trends, Preparation Of Teachers - HISTORY OF. Retrieved

December 07, 2017, from http://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/1950/Elementary-

Education.html

Klein, D. (n.d.). A Brief History of American K-12 Mathematics Education in the 20th Century.

Retrieved December 07, 2017, from https://www.csun.edu/~vcmth00m/AHistory.html

Kubiszyn, T., & Borich, G. (2010). Educational testing and measurement: classroom application

and practice. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons.


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Nation Governors Association Center for Best Practices, & Council of Chief State School

Officers. (2017). Common Core State Standards. Retrieved December 7, 2017, from

www.corestandards.org

Shannon, D., Salisbury-Glennon, J., & Shores, M. (2011, November 30). Examining the

Relationships among Classroom Goal Structure, Achievement Goal Orientation,

Motivation and Self-Regulated Learning for Ethnically Diverse Learners. Retrieved

December 07, 2017, from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1098427Turkay, S. (2015). Setting

Goals: Who, Why, How? Retrieved November 22, 2017, from

https://hilt.harvard.edu/files/hilt/files/settinggoals.pdf

Turkay, S. (2015). Setting Goals: Who, Why, How? Retrieved November 22, 2017, from

https://hilt.harvard.edu/files/hilt/files/settinggoals.pdf

Ugur, H., Constantinescu, P., & Stevens, M. J. (2014, November 30). Self-Awareness and

Personal Growth: Theory and Application of Bloom's Taxonomy. Retrieved November

30, 2017, from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1076682

What evidence-based mathematics instructional strategies can teachers employ? (n.d.). Retrieved

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https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/math/cresource/q3/p05/

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