GET A GRIP (a.k.a. intentionally take control of your goals)
Take a moment to think about what role goals have played in your life. Probably some have been very influential and others ineffective. The reality is that all goals can be useful and can inspire you to… (hint: watch short video clip).
Blog page created by: Alison Dewis (adewis@uvic.ca)
Goals help you to get a grip on1:
- finding a place to start
- managing one piece at a time
- indicating what type of strategies will work best
- allowing you to know how well you are doing
- keeping you motivated
Once you know how, it makes sense to intentionally take control of your goals2!
Click on the below links to learn more.
GET A GRIP ON goals (the basics).
GET A GRIP ON planning for your goals.
ACTIVITY
To see if YOU are ready to GET A GRIP ON your GOALS…GET A GRIP ON your GOALS
References:
1Hadwin, A. F., & Winne, P. H. (2011, in press). Promoting learning skills in undergraduate students. In M. J. Lawson & J. R. Kirby (Eds.),The quality of learning: Dispositions, instruction, and mental structures. New York: Cambridge University Press.
2Webster, E., Helm, S., Hadwin, A. F., Gendron, A., & Miller, M. (2010, April). Academic goals and self-regulated learning: An analysis of changes in goal quality, goal efficacy, and goal attainment over time. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association. Denver, CO.
Further reading:
Winne, P. H., & Hadwin, A. F. (1998). Studying as self-regulated engagement in learning. In D. Hacker, J. Dunlosky, & A. Graesser (Eds.), Metacognition in Educational Theory and Practice (pp. 277-304). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
So you Really want 2 Learn (SR2Learn)? 
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By: GET A GRIP ON quality goals. « So you Really want 2 Learn (SR2Learn)? on June 7, 2011
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By: Moving forward: Using negative feedback to improve you work « So you Really want 2 Learn (SR2Learn)? on November 5, 2011
at 7:11 pm
Thank you for this resource. I am currently in the process of working out an inquiry goal for the remainder of my term, and I like the way you phave phrased “get a grip on” about how goals can help you focus.
– Farah
By: Farah on July 18, 2015
at 4:46 am
Currently, I am taking a course on self-regulated learning. The ideas presented in this series of posting reflect the concepts and readings of my course. The additional links and comments offer further insight that strengthens my knowledge of goal setting and self-regulated learning. What I have come to understand about this topic is that successful self-regulated learners establish control over their learning and their performances when they regulate their goals. Goals should be used to challenge our learning and provoke further thinking. In order to determine the right steps towards goal setting one must primarily come to an understanding of ones self. Establishing a personalized set of strengths and weaknesses, skills and learning styles. Goals should be challenging although at the same times realistic. Ideas concerning self-regulated learning can and will evolve through resources such as this one, where professionals can come together to share their experiences and discuss their findings.
By: marianna on July 23, 2015
at 4:31 pm
Insightful Marianna. What processes do we engage in to understand ourselves?
By: Patricia on July 26, 2015
at 4:21 pm
Hi Marianna et al.
I am also taking a course on SRL and these ideas on goal setting specifically relate to my professional inquiry and really give me some insight and examples that I can show to my students with regards on how to set and follow through with goals. Furthermore, I downloaded the goal setting worksheet and am going to use it for both my professional and personal goals.
I specifically liked the examples of student set goals and how they are structured. These will give me some insight into how I will structure how my students frame their goals as well as some ways that they can check their goals for achievement. Furthermore, getting examples of how goal setting should be distant in order to motivate students (86% university average for example) but also shorter term in order to track successes (tracking marks in individual classes every 6 weeks) will really influence how I track and interact with my student’s goals.
I am always looking for videos to show my students during homeroom that are motivational and educational. Some of the videos and stories here will serve as great reading for my students during homeroom and I included another that I found that maybe others can use in their classrooms.
By: Gordon on February 8, 2016
at 8:20 am
Self – regulated learning requires the learner to take ownership of their own learning process and subsequently their own goal setting journey. The understanding that a learner should set distant (desired) goals and more proximal (less desired, but easier to measure) goals that will assist in their ability to move toward their desired, but more distant goals is of the utmost importance. The motivational videos imbedded in this resource make for excellent resources for my students and I will use those in the classroom. Moreover, the short stories as examples can also be adapted for learner development and I have found this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-SvuFIQjK8 that goes with the worksheet that I have already handed my students in which they used to set their distant goals.
SRL theory dictates that learners need general and specific feedback from a variety of sources (Schunk, 1990), not just their teacher (peers and most importantly self). It seems that for high school student’s distant goals are easily measured and easily monitored. Setting goals like university acceptance or overall averages is quite easily measured. Moreover, the proximal goals that are to lead to these distant desired goals are also more easily measured (test scores for example). I find it much more difficult to measure more qualitative goals. My Grade 7 students set goals like: “I want to get out of ESL” or “I want to be the best tennis player I can be.” I realize these are measureable and there are a number of steps that can be taken to their achievement, but how they measure these goals in the end is more qualitative than quantitative. Even the goal of getting out of ESL, is difficult to measure as a student does not need to get a specific mark or read at a specific level to be ‘moved’ into English class. The judgment is solely up to the teacher’s observations and professional judgment. I have ESL students who function in my History and Geography classes at a much higher level than some of my English students, but the ‘school’ does not want to move them out of the ESL program (perhaps money is a motivating factor to keep them in ESL, though I do not have specific knowledge of this). Furthermore, with goals like the aforementioned tennis goal, it would require the student to judge their tennis abilities against some sort of standard, which in many cases is subjective. Do they judge such accomplishments against how many matches they win or if they feel they have improved their groundstrokes? Being the best one can be is subjective and this goal may even be too distant and vague.
This seems to dictate teacher intervention. However, SRL theory states that the best set goals are those in which the student sets for themselves and as such ones that presumably are more desired. This begs the question, how much teacher intervention ought occur when a student, say 12 or 13 years old, wants to set an individual goal? If the teacher ‘steps in’ and ‘helps’ the student set the goal, is it really the student’s goal and how might one know how desired by the student it is? This will be something that I will be tackling very soon in my class as I will be asking students to reflect on their goals and use a Survey Monkey quiz to help them think about their goals and if they fit the SMART goal setting criteria. Any feedback on how one might deal with this scenario would be greatly appreciated.
Schunk, D. H. (1990). Goal setting and self-efficacy during self-regulated learning. Educational psychologist, 25(1), 71-86.
By: Gordon on February 11, 2016
at 7:02 am
Thank you for this post.
I appreciated how you described our lives as being a constant cycle of experimentation. It’s true that each day we approach new situations, and in doing so, we rely on ideas/experiences that we have used successfully in the past, while also developing those that were less successful.
When we do not succeed, it does not mean we fail. It means that we get wiser about how we approach our goals and how we can become more successful in the future.
I am currently enrolled in an online Master’s course in Self-Regulated Learning. I understand what you say about the necessity of distal and proximal goals. My distal goal is to be successful in the course, but everyday I log-in to the website I am setting proximal goals. I have to plan what I will accomplish each day, and work to do it.
In other posts on this site and other readings on SRL, self-observation is often emphasized strongly. An important part of goal-setting (and achievement) is to observe how you are working, and then assessing your successes, as well as observing room for improvement. Personally, in my experiences taking an online class, I have a lot of opportunity to assess my progress, reward my successes and develop strategies for improvement.
By setting clear goals and working to achieve them, we are developing the skills necessary to be life-long learners, continuously growing and learning with our rapidly changing 21st century world.
By: Ryan on July 17, 2016
at 7:48 am
Thank you for such a detailed post. The way you presented the information in many different formats was great. The examples were detailed and this helped make the information applicable right away. The videos and activities you provided have strengthened my understanding of the content by presenting the information in multiple ways. I am currently taking a course of self-regulated learning and the concepts and activities have reinforced what I have been learning and have provided further insight into goal setting. I am about to start working on a goal myself and your final activity will really help me take control and get a grip on getting started. The final activity does a great job of breaking the steps down into achievable portions and includes everything you need to think about when creating a goal.
By: ashley on July 18, 2016
at 12:42 am
I am currently taking a course on self-regulated learning, and we have talked a lot about the importance of goal setting in SRL. This is an importance concept when thinking about SRL and something that should be taught from a young age. As a current teacher in the Full Day Kindergarten program, I put a strong focus on SRL from the very beginning of the year. I have created a “goal” wall, where students are asked to think of a goal that they hope to reach by then end of the year. We also have part of the goal wall to set aside goals that we hope to reach as a class. This is a great resource for educators and parents to understand how important goal setting is in SRL, as it gives our students and children a tangible task and helps engage them in something that is meaningful for them, since they chose the task themselves. Thanks for providing such a great resource!
By: Allison Gorloff on July 19, 2016
at 6:32 pm
Recently I’ve decided to set a goal for myself based on my weaker areas of self-regulation, diagnosed by a survey based on Zimmerman’s research: More specifically around the area of seeking professional expertise in collaboration. I read many online sources and a few scholarly articles. One by Locke and Latham, clarified many different aspects of goal setting for me.
More clarification on my personal journey can be found at https://danielsiertsema.wordpress.com/2016/09/29/professional-goal-setting/
I welcome any further discussion or dialogue.
I’ve learned, in achieving a goal; I must not view it with fear but as a challenge, and I need feedback to help monitor my progress. The desire to achieve a goal “may simply motivate one to use one’s existing ability…….and/or may motivate people to search for new knowledge” (Locke & Latham). Either way, goal setting holds power for the individual.
After reading your blog post, I will examine some new information highlighted in your 8 goal properties for quality goals. I will consider if my goal is congruent and without conflict (Which on the surface, I believe they are) and hierarchical (What are my steps in achieving that goal? Where do I start?).
An interesting thing to note, is the article I mentioned earlier by Locke and Latham seemingly conflicts with the idea that goals must be self set as outlined in the 8 goal properties. They comment that, “[g]oals are effective even when they come from different sources”. However, I imagine the most effective goals are those you want to achieve.
A question that still remains for me is, can a single person truly recognize when a goal is or is not attainable for them free from any outside input? Factors relating to genetics, childhood experiences and life’s events can seriously impede one’s ability to gauge their own ability in goal setting. How do we get through that?
Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (October, 2006). Current Directions in Psychological Science. New directions in goal-setting theory. Issue 5. Volume: 15. Pgs. 265-268
Zimmerman, B. J. (2002). Becoming a self-regulated learner: an overview. Theory into Practice 41(2), 64-70.
By: Daniel Siertsema on October 12, 2016
at 10:53 am
I am also currently in the midst of participating in a course on Self-Regulated Learning. The information provided here was a great reminder of the importance of goal setting in the process of Self-Regulated Learning. The guidelines listed under the ‘Get a Grip’ section are helpful in outlining effective strategies for setting quality goals. To me, this advice reiterated the importance of carefully considering a goal before working towards achieving it.
In the section on Quality Goals, the importance of motivation is made clear. The process of effective goal setting requires a great deal of introspection in order to determine what the motivation behind the goal is. An individual setting goals for themselves benefits greatly by understanding what intrinsically motivates their goal. A goal that is intrinsically motivated stands a far better chance of keeping one engaged within the process towards achievement compared to a goal which only offers external benefits.
Considering the characteristics of a goal is also important before working towards achievement. The guidelines offered here discuss the importance of setting a goal that is clear, specific and focused. Before educating myself on the values of effective goal setting I often found that my goals were vaguely defined. I would set goals for developing as an educator but fail to specifically outline the areas in which I would improve. Setting specific goals that are clear and focused is essential to keeping oneself motivated by being able to personally assess improvement throughout the process of elf-regulated learning.
Thanks for taking the time to outline some ways in which SRL can be used towards setting effective goals!
By: Nate on October 16, 2016
at 10:29 am
I really enjoyed this series of posts! I found them very easy to follow and the examples were very helpful in understanding the key elements of the post. From these posts I have enjoyed adding to my own personal process of Self Regulated Learning. I have always had a problem setting goals, your outline of best practices for setting and planning for your goals has been most helpful. I wonder if you have ever considered posting about the relation between motivation and goal completion. I would love to get your thoughts on finding appropriate motivation and the use of rewards in the planning of ones goals.
By: wishfulthinking17 on October 25, 2016
at 1:38 am
As I continue to work on a course focusing on self-regulated learning, I find it interesting to look at the process of goal setting. A read this book along time ago that focused on using social relationships as way to reach a goal. For instance, if someone wants to quit smoking the best way is to promise all the important people in their life that if they don’t reach their goal then they shouldn’t speak to them anymore.
In other words, the goal setter uses a social relationship to further enhance their motivation level.
What are your thoughts on this? Do you think this would be an effective way to maintain motivation towards a goal?
By: Joshua Cybulskie on October 26, 2017
at 10:07 am
This is a good summary of the steps involved in effective goal setting that kickstarts the SRL process. I like the quote in “the basics” section that references being “constantly in a cycle of experimentation”. It’s a great way to look at SRL, and reminds us that it’s important to spend some time out of our comfort zone in order to allow room for growth. Like a few others who have commented, I too am in the process of taking a course on Self-Regulated Learning. This blog post is a nice & concise summary of many of the concepts/ideas we have touched on – particularly the sections on types of goals (meaningful, defined/specific, and proximal). I particularly liked the fourth point (planning for your goals), and think this whole post serves well as a brief reminder worth checking in on from time to time in the future.
By: Robin on October 28, 2017
at 8:03 pm
I am currently taking a course focusing on self-regulated learning. A large focus of the course has surrounded around establishing goals.
I believe it is important for students to search and establish their own learning needs. In an article titled “Goal Setting and Self-Efficacy During Self-Regulated Learning” by Dale Schunk he mentions how self-set goals improves self-efficacy.
Long-term (distal) goals must be broken down into short-term (proximal) goals. This will allow for the ability to achieve mini-milestones and provide a more narrowed focus. It will also improve motivation.
One topic of self-regulated learning that I am interested to learn more about is redefining goals as well as formative feedback – both expert feedback as well as peer feedback.
I enjoyed this resource, thanks for providing a video resource that was motivating. The resources were easy to read and targeted the appropriate steps to goal setting.
By: Matthew Kushneriuk on July 26, 2018
at 4:17 am
Thank you for your post and the clear resources to help support goal setting. I work with Grade 2 students (aged 7-8) and for the past couple of years have tried to work with them to set SMART goals. I always struggle with how to demonstrate and break down a specific, achievable goal; most kids will say something like ‘get better at reading’ ‘get better at math’. Neither is very tangible and tracking their progress and keeping motivation with a goal like that is next to impossible. The next challenge is helping them, rather than telling them how to focus in on a specific area in either that will help them move towards the greater goal of reading or mathematics. For example ‘chunking and sounding out tricky words’ ‘increasing my vocabulary’ ‘sharing and explaining one new math strategy a week’ etc. I really found the example with the Grade 10 student thinking about interests and connecting that to potential college degrees a helpful image to guide children. I think that is approach I am going to take when introducing this idea to my students (minus the college focus). I found the steps laid out in the ‘quality plans’ section clear and helpful. All of that being said, a final thought I had when looking through another blog on this site focused on planning and connecting the ideas here is that I also need to focus myself in on the goal of a given lesson, or set goals for myself for each school week. I easily get overwhelmed by the millions of things I would like to accomplish, but I feel that I could use the same steps to sort out my own thinking and keep myself on track. Thanks again for the resources!
By: Fiona on July 29, 2018
at 7:24 pm
Dear Blogger,
I am currently enrolled in a course pertaining to SRL and we are now undergoing the process of setting distal and proximal goals for ourselves. Thank-you for writing this segment as I’m finding it beneficial not only for setting and achieving my current distal goal but for future goals as well. When setting personal goals (especially “high” goals) I often find myself overwhelmed as i’m never sure where to begin. The list you provided is concise and practical and reflect the central ideas in my course readings. Furthermore, your statement ” Once you know how, it makes sense to intentionally take control of your goals” is conducive with what it means to be a display traits of a successful self regulated learner. What I have come to know about SRL is that the learner must take control of his/her own abilities and take control of their own learning processes. Additionally, the “Get A Grip” slogan is highly useful as the wording comes across as accessible and relatable to a broad range of learners. I would definitely use this list of tips and tricks that you have compiled as a resource for educators, parents, and students. Thanks for sharing, this is valuable information that I will be using in both my personal and professional life.
Emily
By: Emily Wood on October 15, 2018
at 1:36 pm
I am currently enrolled in a course on self-regulated learning, This blog post was a helpful way of identifying the main concepts of goal-setting as it relates to self-regulated learning. The activity that you created uses simple question prompts for goal development, which I believe is very helpful for setting goals at any age or grade level. The links to you provided offer deeper insight into understanding different types of goals and how to effectively establish a plan of action to increase achievement. Thanks for a great resource!
By: Karissa on July 26, 2019
at 3:24 pm
I am currently enrolled in a course on self-regulated learning, This blog post was a helpful way of identifying the main concepts of goal-setting as it relates to self-regulated learning. The activity that you created uses simple question prompts for goal development, which I believe is very helpful for setting goals at any age or grade level. In the upcoming school year, I hope to integrate explicit SRL within my classroom, so your activity sheet is a great starting point.
The links to you provided offer deeper insight into understanding different types of goals and how to effectively establish a plan of action to increase achievement. Thanks for a great resource!
By: Karissa on July 26, 2019
at 3:37 pm
I really appreciate the posts you have made on Self-Regulated Learning, especially in relation to goal setting. While learning about Self-Regulated Learning, the importance of goal setting has stuck with me. It not only helps guide our learning by giving a purposes, but through the creation of specific goals at the appropriate difficulty level helps increase motivation, and the completion or reassessment of a goal allows us to monitor our progress, self-reflect on our capabilities, and gain new insight into our learning (i.e.- which learning strategies are most effective, etc.). effective goal setting and self-reflection to reassess these goals should be taught from a young age as well as the benefits of why it should be done. This process should be modeled by educators to demonstrate how to effectively create goals and how to monitor it to promote motivation such as setting proximal goals to achieve the distal goal.
By: Samantha C. on February 2, 2020
at 6:36 pm
Thank you very much for sharing! The additional activity was very clear, and informative. I am very grateful for it also!
Currently, I am taking a course that is focused on self-regulated learning. It has been a wonderful learning opportunity and has truly altered my self-awareness of my own challenges with SRL.
Your ‘Get a GRIP’ approach was clearly explained and modelled. As I reflected on your additional resources, I wondered if you’ve read Dale Schunk’s article Goal Setting and Self-Efficacy During Self-Regulated Learning? In Schunk’s model, it links self-regulation with three tiers of self-observation, self-judgement, and self-reaction. I appreciate how you apply additional opportunities in your ‘Get a GRIP’ framework that would activate such areas!
Schunk’s position also included external and internal factors that influence success. You provide a wonderful example of goal-setting and considerations around external events. Perhaps you may be interested in providing an example that focuses on internal factors, as self-regulation comes into play with truly building on positive subconscious behaviour.
I was pleased that you included your resources, as I intend to review them! And thank you again for contributing to the SRL environment!
By: Anna on February 10, 2020
at 12:35 am
I do appreciate the activity you attached at the end of your post to determine if you are ready to set a goal. I am currently enrolled in a course where I am learning about self-regulated learning for truly the first time. I have always tried to complete goals in the past, but I could never achieve them, or I would settle for only completing half the goal. After being in my course and reading through your blog I understand the importance of making sure it is something I am interested in and if I can provide the time needed to complete the goal. The biggest goal I keep trying to work into my life is exercising and eating healthy. After failing multiple times, I know am able to reflect on why my goal never worked. I have concluded that I am not strategizing how I am going to work towards my own goal. I have also determined that I was not breaking down the big goal into smaller goals to able to reach the end goal. I feel I can truly become a better self-regulated learner now that I have been able to better understand how to best pick goals and achieve goals. I have a question about getting students to determine what goal they should choose for their learning in school. What is the best method or template to use to get students to best figure out what goal they should work towards?
Thanks in advance,
Taylor
By: mademoisellerussell on October 29, 2020
at 12:13 am
I am currently taking a Self-Regulated Inquiry and Learning course and I have learned a lot about goal-setting in SRL. One of the processes I learned about that has made a large impact on how I think about setting and achieving goals is the SMART goals process. To ensure your goal is attainable and clear, it should have each of these qualities:
Specific
Measurable
Agreed Upon
Realistic
Time-based
The great thing about the SMART goals process is that it hold you accountable to stick to your goal by having five very detailed and specific steps for you to follow. Ofcourse, reflecting and making revisions are also very important things to consider along the way. I love using this goal setting process in my personal and professional life!
By: Jeevan Mann on July 23, 2021
at 9:47 pm
Hi All, I struggled to post this as an individual topic so I’ll post it as a response here instead.
I wanted to respond to a question posed by a fellow educator on Twitter:
“How can we as teachers encourage students to participate in the learning zone instead of the performance zone? How can we encourage growth when so many students are focused on grades and the final product instead of the learning along the way? #srlcanada” (@MrSkalnik, 2021).
Considering this question is of great importance, as it provides a critical mirror through which to examine one’s teaching practice. Do our lessons and classroom activities foster self-regulatory skills such as using feedback to monitor growth? Below are evidence-based suggestions for how we might accomplish this.
1. Create a low stakes environment. According to Nicol and Macfarlane-Dick (2006), teachers can enhance students’ self-regulatory skills by incorporating “low-stakes assessment tasks” where students can use multiple points of feedback and opportunity for revision to gauge their progress towards a learning goal. This proves to be more effective than “high-stakes summative assessment[s]” where feedback is transactional and informs of the level of student success (performance zone) (p. 212).
2. Make feedback discussions a classroom staple. Research has shown that students construct meaning about the feedback through discussion (Nicol and Macfarlane-Dick, p.210). Allowing students to form discussion groups according to similarities in feedback facilitates engagement with feedback, discussion about what it means, and provides opportunity for re-teaching of common misunderstandings. Furthermore, it de-stigmatizes feedback as students tend to receive feedback more comfortably from their peers and can see where others have also had similar gaps in understanding (Nicol and Macfarlane-Dick, 2006).
3. Involve students in goal-setting. A common teaching error is providing learning goals to students without informing them about the destination of learning. Thus, our students are reliant on step-by-step instructions and lack contextual information which gives meaning to each step (Hattie et al., 2018). Hattie’s research shows that when teachers and students co-construct learning goals it increases student learning and the motivational value of the goals, as students can effectively monitor signposts that provide information about the journey towards a larger goal.
References:
Frey, N., Fisher, D., & Hattie, J. (2018). Developing “Assessment Capable” Learners: If we want students to take charge of their learning, we can’t keep relegating them to a passive role in the assessment process. Educational Leadership, 75(5), 46–51.
[@MrSkalnik]. (2021, July 27). How can we as teachers encourage students to participate in the learning zone instead of the performance zone? [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/MrSkalnik/status/1420112396564062209
Nicol, D. J., & Macfarlane‐Dick, D. (2006). Formative assessment and self‐regulated learning: A model and seven principles of good feedback practice. Studies in higher education, 31(2), 199-218.
By: Courtney on August 4, 2021
at 9:08 pm