Cognitive engagement as a predictor of achievement.

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The purpose of this study was to examine how well a measure of cognitive engagement predicted achievement test scores after controlling for other types of engagement. The study also examined differences in cognitive engagement for general and special education students and if cognitive engagement predicted achievement differently for the two groups of students. Cognitive engagement was defined as consisting of motivation to learn, self-regulation, and investment in learning.
Participants were 1,921 ninth-grade students in a diverse, urban school district. The sample consisted of 1,789 students in general education and 132 students receiving special education services. Participants completed a self-report measure of cognitive and psychological engagement. Indicators of academic and behavioral engagement, including attendance records and number of credits accrued, were obtained from the school district's database.
Results indicated that two factors from the measure of cognitive engagement were significant predictors of achievement after controlling for other types of engagement. Scores on the factor of Future Aspirations and Goals were a significant positive predictor of achievement test performance, while scores on the factor of Control and Relevance of School Work were a significant negative predictor. Results indicated significant differences between the two groups of students on the two cognitive engagement factors, but the effect was small. One of the cognitive engagement factors, Control and Relevance of School Work, predicted achievement differently for general and special education students. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.