To master or perform? Exploring relations between achievement goals and conceptual change learning.

Background: Research is needed to explore conceptual change in relation to achievement goal orientations and depth of processing.

Aims: To address this need, we examined relations between achievement goals, use of deep versus shallow processing strategies, and conceptual change learning using a think-aloud protocol.

Sample And Method: Seventy-three undergraduate students were assessed on their prior knowledge and misconceptions about Newtonian mechanics, and then reported their achievement goals and participated in think-aloud protocols while reading Newtonian physics texts.