Modelling
the Relationships Between Self-Schemas, Learning and Learning Outcomes
in the Domain of High School Mathematics
C.-h. Ng |
This
study explored the relationships among a self-schema, achievement
goals, learning approaches and performance in learning high school
mathematics. Based on the responses of a group of Australian students
to a survey questionnaire, two alternative sets of linear models
depicting the relationships among these variables were compared.
The findings supported a direct-mediational model of learning engagement,
in which a self-schema was taken as the most important independent
variable predicting why and how Australian students learnt mathematics
albeit that different performance indicators were used during the
modelling process. The relationships among a self-schema, achievement
goals, learning approaches and performance were discussed. [n addition,
it was found that a self-schema in mathematics learning opened up
three qualitatively different paths of learning, a mastery-focused
path, an adaptive performance-focused path and a maladaptive performance-focused
path. Overall, the current findings were consistent with a previous
study involving a group of Chinese students. They also clarified
some major problems in the previous study. Key words: self-schemas, achievement goals, learning approaches, performance, mathematics, high school, path analyses |