The Effects of Autonomy on Motivation, Use of Learning Strategies, and Performance in the College Classroom.

This paper presents results of a study that examined the effect of different levels of autonomy upon intrinsic goal orientation, task value, self-efficacy, test anxiety, use of metacognitive strategies, and performanc2 in the college classroom. Study participants were 365 college students from 4 institutions in 10 classrooms: 3 biology (n=162); 3 English (n=79); and 4 social science classes (n=124). Study findings revealed clear differences between the three types of classrooms on end-of-term mean levels of intrinsic goal orientation, task value, and self-efficacy, with autonomy showing a facilitative effect on these constructs. Metacognition was only slightly, but positively related to autonomy. Neither test anxiety nor performance seemed to be related to classroom experiences of autonomy. Both intrinsic goal orientation and autonomy were significant main effects on end-of-term task value; and intrinsic goal orientation and autonomy seemed to have an additive relationship with regard to task value. Intrinsic goal orientation, but not autonomy, was related to differences in end-of-term levels of metacognition and self-efficacy. ',he results indicate that the effects of autonomy are more closely related to motivation than to act Al performance. Contains 17 references. (Author/GLR) ********************************4-************************************** Reproductions supplied by EARS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** The effects of autonomy on motivation, use of learning strategies, and performance in the college classroom