Interrogating Motivational Theory in the Context of Contemporary Educational Policy

摘要

There have been calls (e.g., Gergen, 2001) for psychologists to more critically deliberate themeaningof their concepts, ideas, predictions and datain the context ofbroader political debate. In educational psychology, this is important in order that our construction of knowledge remains in touch with the storms that are raging outside of our laboratory doors. This paper sought to interrogate a popular and significant theory of educational motivation (achievement goal theory) in the context of broader debate around contemporary educational policy. The paper draws upon the knowledge base and data (in the area of achievement goal theory) in relation to educational motivation, interrogating and integrating such knowledge in relation to broader sociological and political critique of contemporary educational policy. As a consequence of such critique a number of conclusions are reached: (a) there is a pressing need to consider policy-level representations of motivational constructs such as achievement goals, (b) such policy-level representations may be highly significant for future directions and developments in goal theory, and (c) the possibility that goal theory's concepts and ideas might be “used” and “exploited” in the context of current political debate.