The Effects of learning goal autonomy on achievement in a technical training course: a self-determination theory approach

Download
2015
Karaca, Mehmet Selçuk
Human resource is the key differentiator for market competence for companies and enterprises. Formal trainings are an important way for development of human resource. Every year, billions of dollars are spent on formal trainings. Transfer of training research states that, motivation to learn is an important parameter for effectiveness of trainings. According to Self-Determination Theory, feeling autonomy increases intrinsic motivation and causes better types of extrinsic motivation. Offering choice in goals is a way of providing autonomy. In this research, effect of learning goal autonomy on achievement for an IT training course was studied. A mixed type research was implemented. In the experimental part of the study, experimental group had the learning goal autonomy in their course while control group had instructor determined learning goals. Pretests and posttests were conducted for both groups. According to t-test statistics, there was no statistically significant difference between control and experimental groups. Moreover, follow-up interviews were conducted. Interviews showed that choice in learning goals were accepted positively by participants. But because of lack of knowledge on topics, they had no selection power with them. According to this study, goal autonomy is not possible by providing straight explanations of topics, freedom to select, alternative topics and additional resources. Because novice participants lack field knowledge, they cannot evaluate course content and decide according to their needs and interests. This kind of autonomy is more appropriate for intermediate participants. If participants have intrinsic motivation besides field knowledge, they get the maximum benefit from goal autonomy.

Suggestions

The effects of top management team composition on SME export performance: an upper echelons perspective
Acar, Feride Pınar (2016-12-01)
Survival of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) increasingly depends on their ability to exploit opportunities in foreign markets. Given their limited resources, exporting is one of the most viable modes of entry into foreign markets for SMEs. The present study is an attempt to contribute to the research that identifies the factors associated with SME export performance. Specifically, the association between top management team demographic composition and SME export performance was examined in an emer...
The Impact of Information Provision on the Social Acceptance of Shale Gas Development: A Review-Based Inclusive Model
Kanoglu, Dilge G.; Soytaş, Uğur (2018-08-27)
Social acceptance is critical to the market penetration of new products and technologies as well as the successful implementation of policies, including those concerning energy demand. The hydraulic fracturing technique employed in the development of shale gas has been followed by controversy and this has resulted in the emergence of heterogeneity in attitudes toward the process. This review-based perspective surveys selected contributions of psychology to the literature on social acceptance. While not comp...
The Impact of networking characteristics on entrepreneurial marketing: the case of technology-based firms in Ankara
Durukan, Başak; Akçomak, İbrahim Semih; Department of Science and Technology Policy Studies (2019)
The main objective of this thesis is to investigate how network characteristics of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) affect their entrepreneurial marketing practices by using a quantitative research approach. The dimensions of network characteristics and entrepreneurial marketing are defined according to the literature, the scales are adapted, and data is collected using a questionnaire. One hundred and forty-five surveys have been conducted on SMEs located at Technology Development Zones (TDZs) in ...
An architecture for supply chain integration and automation on the Internet
Cingil, I; Doğaç, Asuman (2001-07-01)
Electronic commerce is happening at a very fast pace and business-to-business ecommerce is taking the lead, a very important part of which is the supply chain integration and automation. There is a high demand for well accepted interoperability standards which need to be fitted together for supply chain integration to meet the business demands such as being able to integrate catalogs from different companies. This will facilitate product comparisons and producing customized catalogs. Given an anchor product...
Using soft systems methodology approach to improve technical solution sub-process of engineering process in a SME:a case study
Özkan Yıldırım, Sevgi (null; 2018-10-27)
Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) from different business sectors, that are certified by some standardization organizations, are increasingly prioritizing the process improvement to raise their product’s quality. This paper proposes a qualitative research that will consider the question ‘how are the means of optimizing change in SME’s engineering process certified by CMMI, identified and modeled consistently, using Soft Systems Methodology (SSM)?’. The author analyzed problematic cases related with ...
Citation Formats
M. S. Karaca, “The Effects of learning goal autonomy on achievement in a technical training course: a self-determination theory approach,” M.S. - Master of Science, Middle East Technical University, 2015.