Teaching higher and lower in mastery goal structure: The perspective of students

Taking a student’s perspective, this study aims to characterize students’ descriptions of teaching higher and lower inmastery goal emphasis, in elementary, middle, traditional, and democratic schools. Data were collected by student surveys and interviews from fifth-through eighth-grade Israeli students. Nineteen interviews, describing 5 science teachers perceived by their students as higher or lower in mastery goal emphasis, were chosen for further analyses, which employed the TARGETS framework. Results provided concrete illustrations of higher and lower masteryemphasizing teaching, in different types of schools. Task, time, and autonomy emerged as salient dimensions differentiating between higher and lower perceived mastery goal structure as well as preparation for tests, recognition equality, and teachers’ attentiveness.