Target Goals in The Classroom By: Bethany Cocchi

Why? Class discussion has lead to more questions than answers. I grew up never having target goals in the classroom.

Research Questions 1. Is there an increase in students’ academic performance and independence when teachers present target goals in the classroom? What qualifies as a good target goal? How should they be presented in the classroom?

Methods of Data Collection 1. Referring to references from “Knowing your Learning Target” by Connie Moss, Susan Brookhart, and Beverly Long. 2. Phrase searching “Learning Target” “Achievement Goals,” and “Motivation learning” within the topic of education. 3. Focused in on articles that directly related to learning targets, their creation, and effects on students.

Methods of Analysis 1. Highlighted important sections 2. Summarized articles in notebook 3. Coded words/phrases: Definitions Target Structure Student scaffolding Motivation Student Independence

Findings Definitions Learning Targets: “convey to student’s the destination for the lesson- what to learn, how deeply to learn it, and exactly how to demonstrate their learning” (Moss et al, 2011, p. 66). Other Names: benchmarks, learning goals, mastery goals

Target Structure 1. Should have a balance between specificity and difficulty. should not be too broad so feedback on achievement of target will “will not be explicit enough for the learner to apply efforts to make gains” and if a target is too specific “attainment may appear immediate but will likely be superficial and temporary” (Pollock’s, 2007,p. 32). 2. Is Performance Based Ex: Students will be able to use word segmentation and syllables to decode an unrecognized word. 3. Can start with “I Can” or “Students will be able to…”

Scaffolding 1. High goal clarity in classes created a positive effect on students competency of the material being taught (Seidel et al, 2005). 2. After teachers state learning targets they must also explain… The Performance of Understanding: what they will do to meet the learning target (activity) Criteria for Success: what quality work and mastery of target looks like. (Moss et al, 2012, p. 47)

Motivation 1. “When students perceived their class as emphasizing a mastery goal, they were more likely to report using effective learning strategies, prefer tasks that offer challenge, like their class more, and believe that effort and success co-vary” (Ames et al., 1988, p. 264). 2. Students in classes with high goal clarity and coherence were more likely to experience self-determined motivation (Seidel et al.,2005) 3. Other Places Besides Target Goals: 1. Students experiencing success 2. Seeing friends succeed 3. Receiving praise for effort 4. Encouraging challenge 5. Reframing mistakes as opportunities (Vanessa Vega, 2014)

Independence 1. Assessment For Learning: giving students control of their learning through formative assessments that are self-regulatory (Stiggins et al. 2007). 2. Target goals coupled with a criteria are meant to give students more independence in their work effort. Case Study: Children were allowed, with assistance, to create the criteria for how their work will be assessed. They then graded themselves. After some time students became more independent with their work and with grading and interpreting projects importance (Higgins et al., 1994). Shows how criteria supports independence and motivation. It’s only difference from other researchers’ recommendations is students, instead of teachers, creating the criteria.

Conclusion 1. Target goals can increase student achievement in the classroom if created with a balance between specificity and difficulty and coupled with criteria and scaffolding techniques that support student motivation. 2. When creating target goals with these criteria, students can become more motivated and engaged thinkers in the classroom, which supports academic independence.

Usefulness Research explains the benefits of using target goals in the classroom as well as what activities teachers can couple target goals with to help build motivation and success in the classroom.

Reflection 1. Many people have different ideas on what good target goals are and how to make them successful in the classroom. 2. What I would do differently next time is limit my searches earlier on in the process. 3. The research project was informative and helpful in my understanding of target goals.

Bibliography: Ames, C., & Archer, J. (1988). Achievement goals in the classroom: Students' learning strategies and motivation processes. Journal of Educational Psychology, 80(3), Higgins, K. M., Harris, N. A., & Kuehn, L. L. (1994). Placing Assessment Into the Hands of Young Children: A Study of Student- Generated Criteria and Self-Assessment. Educational Assessment, 2(4), 309. Lai, J., Elen, J. (2011). Why do learning goals (not) work: a reexamination of the hypothesized effectiveness of learning goals based on students behaviour and cognitive processes. Educational Technology Research and Development, 59 (4), Marzano, Robert J., (2009). Designing & Teaching Learning Goals & Objectives. Bloomington, IN: Marzano Research Laboratory. Moss, C. M., Brookhart, S. M., & Long, B. A. (2011). Knowing Your Learning Target. Educational Leadership, 68(6), Moss, C. M., Brookhart, S. M.,(2012). Learning Targets: Helping Students aim for understanding in Today’s lesson. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Pollock, Jane. (2007). Improving Student Learning: one teacher at a time. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Seidel, T., Rimmele, R., Prenzel M. (2005). Clarity and coherence of lesson goals as a scaffold for student learning. Learning and Instruction, 15(6), Stiggins, R. J., Arter, J. A., Chappuis, J., and Chappuis, S. (2007). Classroom Assessment for Student Learning. Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Vega, Vanessa. (2014). Comprehensive Assessment Research Review: Motivating Students. Edutopia. assessment-research-motivate-students-to-improvehttp:// assessment-research-motivate-students-to-improve