Approaches to Learning, Attributions, Goal Orientations
and Achievement: A Developmental Perspective

This paper examines the relationship between achievement and the three motivation constructs of approaches to learning, attributional beliefs and goal orientations in upper primary, high school and TAFE students. The relative prominence of these three motivation constructs in explaining variation in student achievement at different age levels is also explored. Results are discussed in terms of developmental changes in students' motivational patterns as they progress through their education. Implications for instruction are also addressed. Approaches to Learning, Attributions, Goal Orientations and Achievement: A Developmental Perspective While in the past much attention has been given to teacher performance and how it influences student learning, there has recently been a shift of emphasis. This has involved the formulation of various motivational constructs to examine learning from the students's perspective. Three main motivational constructs are being explored in this paper. These are Causal Attributions, Goal Orientations and Approaches to Learning.