Past and Present Projects
Journals of Interest
CDOIL Researchers
Learn more


                      UNDER CONSTRUCTION
What is Goal and Task Thinking?

A student comes to every learning situation with a task format, with advantage represented in a task situation and task to be accomplish in order to secure such a represented advantage. A task format is usually not always clear cut; neither is a teacher or student consciously aware of a student's task format. A student does not say to h/himself "I will learn how to read ABC today (task) and I will feel much better for it (advantage)," but this is an example of what a student might have at the back of h/her mind when approaching a learning task situation.

However, one task formats may be more suitable/relevant to a task situation than another. Some task formats are more adaptable to a task situation than others; some students may have no task formats at all. Others might feel that the task is imposed upon them. However, as a student arrives, adjusts or/and adapts into a task situation, he/she encounters a varieties of learning difficulties; a difficulty, whether a task is or not agreeable is due to a task format that a student brings to a task situation. Adaptability of a student's task format, thus a student's attitude to task is a function of interest.

In other words, a learning difficulties may be because a student represents excess advantage in a given situation or underestimates the task required; invariably, interest will either go up or down. When a task format is appropriate students adjust to learning task situation better than other wise. Specifically, a student with interest does not feel easily frustrated; rather h/she is can summon efforts to secure much of the represented advantage. When interest goes up, students learn better; when interest goes down students loses the incentive to strive and to accomplish tasks.