Promoting a mastery motivational climate in a higher education sports class

Abstract

The lecturer can aim to develop a motivational climate that could strongly influence the degree to which students perceive mastery of the tasks or outperforming others as important. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an intervention programme to promote a mastery motivational climate on lecturing behaviours and student learning experiences in an undergraduate practical soccer module. As a consequence of the intervention, observational analysis of lecturer behaviours showed increases in student-set mastery goals, greater differentiation of tasks, increased lecturer feedback on effort and progress to individual students, and more flexible time to learn. Group interviews with students revealed that the mastery programme had a positive impact on their motivation and learning experiences.