Presenting the Students' Academic Achievement Causal Model based on Goal Orientation

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Medical Education

Background:

• Academic achievement is multifactorial, influenced by individual capabilities and learning environments.
• Understanding the interplay of goal orientation and learning approaches is crucial for enhancing student success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a causal model of academic achievement.
• To investigate the roles of goal orientation and learning approaches in medical and dentistry students' academic outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study involving 175 medical and dentistry students at Guilan University of Medical Sciences.
• Utilized Goal Orientation Scale and Study Process Questionnaire to assess student characteristics.
• Analyzed data using Pearson correlation and structural equations modeling.

Main Results:

• A significant relationship was found between goal orientation and learning strategies (P<0.05).
• Learning strategies, including Deep Learning (r=0.37) and Surface Learning (r=-0.21), significantly correlated with academic achievement (P<0.05).
• The proposed causal model demonstrated a good fit with the collected data.

Conclusions:

• The developed causal model effectively explains academic achievement in the studied student population.
• Findings support the integration of goal orientation and effective learning strategies into educational principles to foster student success.