This time of year students are returning to schools and campuses, and classes will be underway soon. I thought this would be a good time to share some of my previous research examining the tricky task of getting learners to direct their learning process on their own.
We're all familiar with the idea of setting goals, something that's been studied extensively. But what about undergraduate students studying leadership? That's an area that hasn't been explored much. Especially when it comes to a class focused on leading groups and teams. This research was conducted to better understand how students go about setting their goals.
Turns out, goals that students set for themselves are more meaningful and they're more likely to stick to them. This is compared to goals set by someone else. You could say that when it's their own idea, students are more motivated to persist toward those goals.
Now, let's talk personality. Everyone's got their own traits that make them who they are. In this study, we looked at how personality might affect goal-setting. The findings were interesting. Across different classes examined, the personalities of students were consistent. Extraversion, which is about being outgoing, didn't score so high. This was surprising because in other research, being extroverted was connected to doing well on the job.
On the other hand, being agreeable was a big hit. Students who scored high in agreeableness were more likely to set high goals for themselves. This suggests that educators may want to emphasize teamwork skills related to trust and being nice, as these could help students set and work towards their goals (and align with their agreeable nature).
Earl Nightingale famously said, "People with goals succeed because they know where they're going". This study isn't just a bunch of numbers – it has real-world applications directly related to this concept. Educators can use this information to help students set their own goals. For example, a good idea might be to ask students to write down what grades they want at the start of a course. Research shows that students who do this are more likely to work hard and stick with their goals.
Looking at the bigger picture, this study adds a piece to the puzzle of how personality and goal setting are connected. While there is still much research needed, this small connection may be helpful. Personality traits like being organized and being nice have a role in how students set their goals. This can help educators understand their students better and help them succeed.
Of course it is important to acknowledge there are limits to this study. It focused on a specific group of students in one place. So, it might not apply to all students everywhere. More research is needed to know how personality and goal setting connect in different situations.
So, in the world of education, where educators and learners work together, this study is a starting point, and a guide. It gives educators practical ideas to make learning more engaging and meaningful. Personality and goal setting – these two things, like two puzzle pieces, fit together to create a clearer picture of how students can succeed.
To read more, I've included the original article for download.
Lamm, K. W., Sheikh, E., & Edgar, D. W. (2019). Evaluating personality traits as a predictor of undergraduate goal setting. Journal of Agricultural Education, 60(2), 126-139. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2019.02126
What other tips and tricks do you have for increasing learner goal setting? Please be sure to share your comments!
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