The development and validation of a scale to assess differing student orientations towards grades and learning

Though educational researchers have long acknowledged the importance of student motivation in classroom research, the general construct of achievement motivation has generally been found to be of limited utility and value. To clarify our understanding of the influence that motivation has upon achievement in a large university class, attention was focused upon student attitudes towards grades and learning.

The term "learning orientation" was used to describe the predominant attitude held by those students who approach the college experience as an opportunity to acquire knowledge and to obtain personal and educational enlightenment. "Grade orientation" was used to describe an attitude held by other students that obtaining a course grade, in and of itself, is a reason for their being and doing in the classroom. It was also suggested that many students were motivated or influenced by some combinations of these two elements.

Using the rational-intuitive approach to test construction, a brief paper-and-pencil scale to assess these differing orientations was developed. Evidence demonstrating its (a) ability to discriminate between students, (b) reliability (both in terms of its internal consistency and its temporal stability),.and (c) validity was presented. In addition, three student groups (i.e., grade-, mixed-, and learning oriented) were compared, in two independent studies, on a number of dimensions identified by previous researchers as exerting significant influences upon academic achievement.

Significant differences among these three groups were observed on measures of personality (measured by the l6 PF), general ability (measured by the ACT exam), study habits (measured by the SSHA), test anxiety (measured by the AAT), and on a student evaluation of course and instructor form. For example, as a group, learning-oriented students were found to be more emotionally stable, trusting, imaginative, forthright, self-sufficient, and relaxed than their grade-oriented counterparts. In addition learning-oriented students scored significantly higher on: (a) the ACT exam, (b) seven of the SSHA subscales, (c) an achievement motivation scale, and (d) a measure of facilitating test anxiety. Learning-oriented students also reported less debilitating test anxiety. A significantly greater degree of satisfaction and pleasure with several aspects of the course and with the instructors was observed also among learning-oriented students.

The implications the present findings have for: (a) future educational research, (b) students, and (c) instructors were discussed. It was suggested that our basic understanding of the impact that contemporary grading practices have upon both student motivation, and academic achievement demands continued attention and further research.