W4_Reading

Peterson, K., & Davis, B. (2008). A novice teacher improves student engagement through goal setting and literacy work stations. Ohio Journal of English Language Arts, 48(1), 17-23. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.
     This article discussed how students, much like adults, will avoid activities that are boring or not liked and be engaged in activities that are fun and entertaining.  By having students set learning goals, they become more motivated and involved in their learning.  Other studies showed that students who set learning goals had more ownership for their learning, used time more effectively, and mastered more concepts.  Results of this study showed that students worked harder towards goals they set for themselves rather than goals that were set for them by a teacher.  


Palmer, S., & Wehmeyer, M. (2003). Promoting self-determination in early elementary school: Teaching self-regulated problem-solving and goal-setting skills. Remedial and Special Education, 24(2), 115-26. Retrieved from ERIC database.

     This article showed ways to teach students to become problems solvers, set learning goals, and to evaluate the progress towards those goals.  This study discussed 3 stages that helped students to solve a problem and set a learning goal based on the problem.  Results of the study showed that students as young as 5 or 6 could uses the stages to set appropriate learning goals.

Madden, L. (1997). Motivating students to learn better through own goal-setting. Education, 117(3), 411. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.

     In this article, the basics of a goal are defined.  The properties of a goal are specificity, difficulty level, and proximity.  Basically, a goal needs to be more specific than to do good on a test.  This study showed that goals helped to motivate students.  Rewards for reaching goals was also found to be an important part of goal setting.  

Hannafin, M. (1981). Effects of teacher and student goal setting and evaluations on mathematics achievement and student attitudes. Journal of Educational Research, 74(5), Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.

     The difference between student set goals and teacher set goals were observed and discussed in this article.  The attitudes of students who set their own learning goals were found to be better than the attitudes of students who had goals set for them by teachers.  Students who set their own goals were also more committed to those goals.  Students who set their own goals achieved more of those goals than students who had goals set for them.