ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the skill of goal setting, which is the process of establishing a direction for learning. Goal setting is a practice that can develop with opportunity and feedback, and the skills attained can transfer across domains. The benefits of goal setting in academic contexts have been widely reported in research. Depending on the situation, people may engage in deliberate planning or use a loose informal guide for goal attainment. In society there is immense competition for our time and resources. Attribution theory is what people attribute their success or lack of success to. T. Seifert describes it as ‘a person’s explanation of why a particular event turned out as it did’. Attribution occurs once an outcome has been reached. Learners who have a fear of failure are more likely to avoid tasks, especially where they feel they will be challenged beyond their capability.
