A multidimensional diagnostic perspective on academic achievement goal orientation structure, using the Rasch...

This study is designed to investigate a multidimensional structure of academic achievement goal orientations from a diagnostic perspective, using the Rasch measurement models. A data set of Korean students who responded to the Patterns of Adaptive Learning Survey (PALS) was analyzed. Both consecutive unidimensional and multidimensional Rasch measurement models were applied for comparative purposes. Each goal orientation dimension (i.e., the attitude) was standardized and then classified into three categorical levels, i.e., low, middle and high. These categorizations of goal dimensions were used to examine the role of students' performance-approach goals on mathematics achievement in relation with the other achievement goals. Results indicate that the multidimensional partial credit model was the best model with respect to the fit of the data to the models. Findings of the current study also demonstrate that practitioners who need specific feedback for instruction and/or intervention can benefit from the multidimensional approach.