Abstract

Goal setting is an important part of business process management requiring metrics against which to measure performance. Similarly, as future business process analysts, information systems students require goal setting and measurement competencies. Following an inductive process, goals set by students with no a-priori training in self-assessment were explored based on two questions: What goals do students set? And how do they assess these goals? The findings reveal that students make use of multiple goal types with goals of effort and understanding linked to higher performance. Furthermore, goals need not be explicitly stated nor defined prior to beginning a task to be effective. Higher performing students were better at self-assessment which was considered a function of goal setting and previous self-assessment experience. In addition, the findings reveal temporal aspects to goal setting with short-term goals providing better outcomes. Goal setting was shown to be entangled with types of goals transcending temporal levels. Additional entanglements were observed with goals providing motivation and increased self-efficacy but are in turn moderated by lack of motivation and low self-efficacy. Assemblage theory was applied to understand the emergent properties of the entanglements. From an assemblage perspective, goals, goal types, goal levels, self-assessment, motivation, and self-efficacy combine with the individual and their environment in diverse ways to form larger goals that can be replicated throughout a person’s life. From a practice perspective, educators can design course interventions being cognizant of the impact of goal setting and self-assessment on student outcomes.

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