ERIC Number: EJ1469313
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1083-6470
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Students' Test Satisfaction Goals Are Well Calibrated to Their Test Scores
Abigail R. Vild; Maggie E. Wilson; Christopher A. Was
Journal of Research in Education, v33 n1 p63-79 2025
Theories of self-regulated learning suggest a positive link between knowledge monitoring accuracy (the ability to predict test performance) and performance on tests. Put differently, students who accurately monitor their knowledge of course content more efficiently regulate study of course materials. However, a plethora of literature indicates that most undergraduate students are overconfident when asked to predict performance on tests. Previous research has relied students making predictions about the score they expect to receive on an upcoming test. Although, intuitively asking students to predict their test scores as a measure of monitoring accuracy makes sense, students tend to be overconfident. This lack of accuracy is more pronounced in poorly performing students, as they tend to predict significantly higher tests scores than they receive. Several studies have attempted to increase student monitoring accuracy in hopes of increasing self-regulated learning and performance. Unfortunately, previous attempts have been unsuccessful. In the current study, we asked students to state their pride and satisfaction goals just before taking tests. Undergraduates were administered 11 tests during the semester. Before each test, students predicted their score, provided a score with which they would be satisfied (satisfaction goal), and with which they would be proud (pride goal). Students' predicted scores and pride goals were both significantly higher than actual test scores. However, satisfaction goals were lower than both predictions and pride goals and better reflected students' test scores. The results suggest that satisfaction goals accurately reflect the knowledge students have regarding the content to be covered on the test.
Descriptors: Student Satisfaction, Undergraduate Students, Scores, Prediction, Accuracy, Goal Orientation, Metacognition, Tests
Eastern Educational Research Association. George Watson, Marshall University, One John Marshall Drive, College of Education and Professional Development, Huntington, WV 25755. e-mail: eerajournal@gmail.com; Web site: http://www.eeraorganization.org
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