The Role of Classroom Environment in Students' Goal Orientations

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the classroom environment, namely the satisfaction with school, trust in teachers, positive teacher – student interaction and loneliness in school, in explaining individual differences in students' goal orientations. In addition, the study aimed to determine gender and age differences in the perception of classroom environment and goal orientations. The sample comprised 417 students in the sixth and the eighth grades of elementary school. They completed the questionnaires for assessing their perception of several aspects of classroom environment and the Inventory of school motivation. Results confirmed some well established gender differences in goal orientations, showing that girls achieve higher scores on mastery and social relations goals, whereas boys score higher on ego-goals and extrinsic goals. Sixth graders scored higher on social relations and mastery than did the eighth graders. Female students were more satisfied with school and showed a greater trust in teachers. All of the aspects of classroom environment were positively related with goal orientations, while the regression analyses revealed some specific relations between aspects of classroom environment and certain goal orientations.