ERIC Number: EJ1245015
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020-Mar
Pages: 24
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0007-0998
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Work-Related Learning in the Transition from Higher Education to Work: The Role of the Development of Self-Efficacy and Achievement Goals
British Journal of Educational Psychology, v90 n1 p19-42 Mar 2020
Background: Work-related learning is particularly important at the start of graduates' careers. Preparing students for work-related learning is a chief aim of higher education, demonstrating its relevance when investigating the transition to work. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the role of personal factors for work-related learning during the transition from higher education to work. This study took a longitudinal and person-centred approach by examining differences in work-related learning between different motivational profiles based on the conjoint development of self-efficacy and achievement goals. Sample: Questionnaires were administered four times, starting in the beginning of students' final year of higher education until 4 months after graduation (N = 814). Methods: In order to assess the development of the personal factors, different multi-indicator latent growth curve models were estimated. Afterwards, a multidimensional latent class growth analysis was used to identify latent profiles of participants with similar growth trajectories. Differences in work-related learning were investigated by a multivariate analysis of variance. Results and Conclusions: The results revealed an average increase in self-efficacy, learning-goal, and performance-approach orientation, indicating that the transition to work triggers change in these personal factors. Performance-avoidance orientation decreased on average. Four distinct motivational profiles were discerned: strongly efficacious and approach-oriented, moderate efficacious and approach-oriented, moderate efficacious and learning-oriented, and undecided profile. Furthermore, differences were found concerning work-related learning, in which the strongly efficacious and approach-oriented profile reported more participation in formal and informal learning activities using personal sources, while the undecided profile showed least participation in the latter.
Descriptors: College Graduates, Education Work Relationship, Career Education, Self Efficacy, Goal Orientation, Entry Workers
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A