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The present study sought to extend goal-setting research by examining the nature of individuals' self-regulation with respect to performance goals while pursuing multiple, simultaneous goals. It was proposed that goal revision and effort allocation would be influenced by goal-performance discrepancies (GPD), causal attributions for factors affecting performance, self-efficacy, and rate of progress toward task goals. Results indicated that GPDs predicted goal revision direction and magnitude, and that controllability attributions moderated the GPD – revision relation. GPD size determined prioritization between tasks, as did self-efficacy. Mixed results were found for self-efficacy moderating the relation between GPD size and task prioritization. Rate of progress toward a task goal generally predicted prioritization between tasks and the amount of exerted effort within a single task. Although many results were not in the anticipated form, they still fit with modern theoretical frameworks associated with work motivation. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed. / Master of Science

Yes / Goal-setting is fundamental to organisational management, yet not every manager knows how do it well. A narrative literature review was done to explore current knowledge of definitions and classifications of goals, and principles of goal-setting in the health sector. Online databases generated 65 relevant articles. Additional literature sources were snowballed from referenced articles, and textbooks. Most academic authors define ‘goal’ synonymously as ‘aim’ or ‘objective’, but with evidence of hermeneutical confusion in general literature. Goal classifications are diverse, differing according to their contextual, structural, functional and temporal characteristics. Many authors agree that goal-setting is problem-based, change-oriented and can effectively motivate attainment, if the goal statement is formulated with a specific and challenging or SMART framework. However, recent authors report varying defining attributes for SMART, and evidence of past studies that have empirically examined the nature and efficacy of frameworks currently used for formulating goal statements for health programmes is lacking.

The purpose of this study was: (a) to examine the predictive utility of the achievement goal and Student Approaches to Learning (SAL) frameworks for characterizing Chinese students’ motivation and achievement, and (b) to investigate how Confucian-heritage culture (CHC) may combine with achievement goals or SAL to generate different learning processes and outcomes and to promote optimal motivation. A questionnaire was conducted during a two-week period with over 700 first-year students who took both of the two courses—college English classes for non-English majors and advanced mathematics classes for science students—at a university in northern China. The questionnaire consisted of students’ self-reported demographic information and the instrument that was designed to measure: (a) goal orientations, (b) attitudes towards the specified CHC values, (c) SAL constructs, and (d) two variables widely used in research in this field—metacognitive strategy and school well-being. Exploratory factor analyses were conducted to examine the consistency of the extracted factor solutions with the four goal constructs postulated by the 2 x 2 conceptualization, the two SAL contructs posited by the SAL framework, and the five cultural value contructs derived from the literature review. Standard analysis procedures were used to calculate the reliability of the scales and to determine which items should be retained for further analyses. Then regression analyses were employed to examine the relationship of the goal orientation framework and SAL framework to cultural values, school well-being, metacognitive strategies, and grades. Results indicated that the 2 x 2 achievement goal framework was an appropriate model for characterizing the types of achievement goals these Chinese students pursued and for predicting a number of achievement-relevant processes and outcomes, as was the revised two-factor SAL framework for characterizing the different ways students approached their learning and for predicting these learning processes and outcomes. The results supported Chinese students’ multiple goal pursuit in an additive goal pattern, an interactive goal pattern, or a specialized goal pattern to promote their optimal motivation and achievement. The results also provided evidence that CHC values combined with achievement goals or SAL either in an additive or interactive pattern to facilitate Chinese students’ learning processes and outcomes. / Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2008-07-31 12:20:50.812

This educational study on building art education relationships between art educators and local community art agencies was conducted in early February of 2009. Data was collected by means of an art teacher survey, mailed to the homes of metro Atlanta art educators and by conducting face-to-face interviews with professionals working in the education departments of high profile metro Atlanta art agencies. The data analysis provides insight into the goals of local K-12 art educators, and they are compared to the goals of community art agencies. The findings of this study reveal that art teachers and art agencies share many common goals and face similar challenges. And together, through networking and close communication, they may better serve the needs of students K-12 as they become lifetime participants and supports of the visual arts.

Cashmere Forest is currently a production forest comprised of mostly radiata pine (c.85%), Douglas fir (c.5%) and some non plantation areas. The Port Hills Park Trust Board (PHPTB) is interested in purchasing Cashmere Forest for the purpose of creating a public forest park environment where forestry, indigenous biodiversity, recreation and the environment are goals of sustainable management. For this purpose this draft forest management (DFM) plan has been prepared. The preparation of the Cashmere DFM plan comprised three main components: 1. An economic analysis of the current plantation component of Cashmere Forest. 2. Preparation of a draft forest management plan which encompasses the management of plantation and non plantation areas. 3. Preparation of a geographic information system (GIS) for Cashmere Forest. Economic analysis evaluated clearfell, coupe (2 to 5 ha), and a mixture of coupe and continuous canopy management (CCM) as harvesting scenarios. The coupe CCM mix was recommended for implementation primarily as it best suited long term management goals for Cashmere Forest Park while also returning modest value (NPV $561, 966). Normal cashflow analysis was also used to analyse cashflow over the first thirty years of operation from 2007. Under coupe/CCM, accrued profit does not become permanently positive until around 2019 due to initial infrastructure costs. Accrued revenue culminates at around 4 million after 30 years. This figure may drop following implementation of high pruning, alternative growth models and indigenous restoration. The Cashmere DFM plan begins with the 200 year vision which sees a Forest Park ecosystem that achieves production, environmental, ecological and recreational goals appropriate to its Port Hills location. Production forestry is practiced through the selective harvesting of a range of naturally regenerated exotic and restored indigenous species. Landscape, soil and water resources are sustainably managed through the retention of a mixed forest canopy. The forest park has been significantly augmented with indigenous flora and fauna typical of the Port Hills and ecologically significant areas are managed specifically for their indigenous biodiversity. Park recreational users are enjoying ongoing utilisation of a unique Canterbury landscape. Plantation forest management involves coupes of between 2 to 5 ha which will be harvested with cable or ground based systems with areas split approximately 50:50 between the two. Cable harvesting will be carried out with a swing yarder system with ground based operations carried out with track skidders. CCM will be carried out on a trial basis in three compartments. Re-establishment of plantation areas will aim towards occupying around 58% of Cashmere Forest, comprised of areas of radiate pine 65%, radiata pine/eucalypt 24%, Douglas fir/eucalypt 5% and Alternative species 6%. Non plantation areas are identified as either bluff, track or clearing. Within each area there may be one or more vegetation type including tussock grassland, mixed shrubland, rock association and any mixture of the three. It is proposed that the non plantation area will eventually increase to include riparian buffers 31%, restored native 55%, bluff 10% and track 4% areas, reflecting the long term vision of increased native areas in Cashmere Forest. Monitoring of forest operations, restoration, recreation and management progress will be integral to the successful implementation of the Cashmere DFM plan. A database of information will be created to allow periodical reviews of processes and predictions and reconciliation of costs and revenues associated with the management of Cashmere Forest. Periodical reviews will also be undertaken by an independent management advisory group who can liaise with the project manager of Cashmere Forest Park to discuss issues and aid planning and ensure the successful establishment of this unique park resource.

This educational study on building art education relationships between art educators and local community art agencies was conducted in early February of 2009. Data was collected by means of an art teacher survey, mailed to the homes of metro Atlanta art educators and by conducting face-to-face interviews with professionals working in the education departments of high profile metro Atlanta art agencies. The data analysis provides insight into the goals of local K-12 art educators, and they are compared to the goals of community art agencies. The findings of this study reveal that art teachers and art agencies share many common goals and face similar challenges. And together, through networking and close communication, they may better serve the needs of students K-12 as they become lifetime participants and supports of the visual arts.

It is proposed that goal pursuit is related to how we resolve conflicts with others, and with our psychological well-being. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether there is an association between individual’s interpersonal goals (compassionate and self-image goals), conflict management style (integrating, compromising, obliging, dominating and avoiding), and psychological well-being. To further investigate the role of interpersonal goals, we designed a self-report questionnaire to measure the preference of compassionate goals as opposed to self-image goals in social conflict situations. Seventy university students completed an on-line questionnaire. The results showed that compassionate goals are negatively associated with dominating style, and positively associated with integrating, compromising and obliging style. Self-image goals correlated positively with dominating style, and negatively with integrating style. Furthermore, individuals with higher levels of self-image goals have a consistent way of dealing with conflicts in different situations. There was no statistically significant association between psychological well-being and interpersonal goals or conflict management style. The results are discussed in light of previous findings and concrete suggestions for further research are presented. / Det föreslås att ens strävan efter ett mål är relaterat till hur man löser konflikter med andra, och vårt psykiska välmående. Syftet med studien var att undersöka sambandet mellan individers interpersonella mål (medkännande och självbildsmål), konflikthanteringsstil (integrerande, kompromissande, tjänstvillig, dominerande och undvikande), och psykologiskt välmående. För vidare undersökning av interpersonella måls roll, designade vi ett självrapport frågeformulär för att mäta preferens av medkännande mål i motsats till självbildsmål i sociala konfliktsituationer. Sjuttio universitetsstudenter slutförde online frågeformulären. Resultatet visade att medkännande mål är negativt associerade med dominerande stil, och positivt med integrerande, kompromissande och tjänstvillig stil. Självbildsmål korrelerade positivt med dominerande stil, och negativt med integrerad stil. Dessutom, individer med höga nivåer av självbildsmål hanterar konflikter på ett konsekvent sätt genom olika situationer. Det var inget statistiskt signifikant samband mellan psykologiskt välmående och interpersonella mål eller konflikthanteringsstilar. Resultaten är diskuterade med hänsyn till tidigare fynd och konkreta förslag på framtida forskning är presenterad.

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In this thesis, the framework within which long-term goals are set and subsequently achieved or approached is analyzed. Sustainable development and climate change are areas in which goals have tobe set despite uncertainties. The analysis is divided into the normative motivations for setting such goals, what forms of goals could be set given the empirical and normative uncertainties, and how tomanage doubts regarding achievability or values after a goal has been set. Paper I discusses a set of questions that moral theories intended to guide goal-setting should respond to. It is often claimed that existent normative theories provide only modest guidance regarding climate change, and consequently have to be revised or supplemented. Two such suggested revisions or supplements are analyzed in order to determine whether they provide such guidance. Paper II applies the deep ecological framework to survey the extent to which it can be utilized to discuss issues concerning the management of climate change. It is suggested that the deep ecological framework can provide guidance by establishing a normative framework and an analysis of how the overarching values and principles can be specified to be relevant for actions. Paper III is focused on normative political theory, and explicates the two dimensions of empirical and normative uncertainty. By applying recent discussions in normative political theory on ideal/non-ideal theory, political realism, and the relation between normative demands and empirical constraints,strategies for managing the proposed goals are suggested. Paper IV suggests a form of goal that incorporates uncertainties. Cautious utopias allow greater uncertainty than realistic goals (goals that are known to be achievable or approachable, and desirable),but not to the same extent as utopian goals (goals wherein it is highly uncertain whether the goal can actually be achieved). Such goals have a performance-enhancing function. A definition and quality criteria for such goals are proposed. Paper V considers whether a goal that is becoming all the more unlikely to be achievable should be reconsidered. The paper focuses on the two degrees Celsius target, and asks whether it could still be a sensible goal to aspire to. By applying the principle that ‘ought’ implies ‘can’, the role of such obligations is investigated. Paper VI surveys how to treat circumstances in which an already set goal should be reconsidered and possibly revised, and what would evoke doubt in the belief upon which those goals have been set.Two situations are analyzed: (i) a problematic or surprising event occurs, upsetting confidence in one’s relevant beliefs, or (ii) respectable but dissenting views are voiced concerning one’s means and/or values. It is suggested that the validity of doubt has to be considered, in addition to the level in a goal-means hierarchy towards which doubt is raised. / <p>QC 20151204</p>