Effects of Task-Focused Goals on Low-Achieving Students With and Without Learning Disabilities

Abstract

We examined effects of a task-focused goals treatment (TFG) in mathematics on low-achieving students with and without disabilities. We randomly assigned 40 classrooms to (a) TFG (which incorporated self-referenced assessment feedback, SRAF), (b) SRAF, and (c) contrast (neither TFG nor SRAF). We measured student perceptions of TFG, the difficulty and variety of learning topics, mathematics learning, effort, and intrinsic motivation. TFG students reported enjoying and benefiting from TFG, chose more challenging and a greater variety of learning topics, and increased their effort differentially. Increased effort, however, was associated with greater learning only for low achievers in TFG without learning disabilities, and we found no effects on intrinsic motivation.