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Understanding the direct and indirect relations between motivation to participate, goal orientation and the use of self-regulation strategies during a formal training

Verständnis der direkten und indirekten Beziehungen zwischen Teilnahmemotivation, Zielorientierung und dem Gebrauch von Selbstregulierungsstrategien während einer formellen Fortbildung

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Abstract

The current study investigates the direct and indirect relations between motivation to participate, as measured by self-determination theory, goal orientation at the start of the training and use of self-regulation strategies during a formal training. In total, 717 employees completed a questionnaire that consisted of existing scales that were adapted and validated for the context of work-related learning. Results show a positive direct relation between autonomous motivation and a mastery-approach goal orientation, and the use of self-regulation strategies. A significant indirect relation of autonomous motivation through a mastery-approach goal orientation was also found. In addition, results pointed to a negative impact of work-avoidance goal orientation on the use of self-regulation strategies. The latter approach also fully mediated the relation between controlled motivation and a-motivation on the one hand and self-regulated learning on the other. These results point towards the complexity of the relation between motivational dimensions and quality of learning in work-related learning.

Zusammenfassung

In der vorliegenden Studie werden direkte und indirekte Beziehungen zwischen der selbst- versus fremdbestimmten Motivation zur Weiterbildungsteilnahme, Zielorientierungen zu Beginn der Weiterbildung und Nutzung von Selbstregulationsstrategien während der Weiterbildung untersucht. Insgesamt nahmen 717 Arbeitsnehmer an der Studie teil. Die genannten Konstrukte wurden mithilfe etablierter Skalen erfasst, die für das Lernen im beruflichen Kontext adaptiert wurden. Die Ergebnisse zeigen einen positiven Zusammenhang zwischen selbstbestimmter Teilnahmemotivation, Lernzielorientierung und dem Einsatz von Selbstregulationsstrategien. Selbstbestimmte Teilnahmemotivation und Selbstregulationsstrategien zeigten darüber hinaus einen signifikanten über Lernzielorientierung vermittelten indirekten Zusammenhang. Die Ergebnisse weisen zudem auf einen negativen Einfluss von Arbeitsvermeidungszielorientierung auf den Einsatz von Selbstregulationsstrategien hin. Arbeitsvermeidungszielorientierung vermittelte auch den Effekt fremdbestimmter Teilnahmemotivation bzw. Amotivation auf den Einsatz von Selbstregulationsstrategien. Insgesamt weist die Studie damit auf eine hohe Komplexität der Zusammenhänge zwischen Motivation und Lernqualität im beruflichen Kontext hin.

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Acknowledgement

This research was supported by a research-grant provided by the Flemish Agency of Innovation through Science and Technology (Grant nr. 120221).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Education and Information Sciences, University of Antwerp, Venusstraat 35, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium

    Gert Vanthournout,  David Gijbels &  Piet Van den Bossche

  2. Department of Occupational and Organisational Psychology and Professional Learning, Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

    Eva Kyndt

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  1. Gert Vanthournout
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Correspondence to Gert Vanthournout.

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Vanthournout, G., Kyndt, E., Gijbels, D. et al. Understanding the direct and indirect relations between motivation to participate, goal orientation and the use of self-regulation strategies during a formal training. Z Erziehungswiss 18 (Suppl 1), 89–106 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11618-014-0601-7

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