From Slavin (2009): "Student with learning goals see the purpose of schooling as gaining competence in the skills being taught, whereas students with performance goals primarily seek to gain positive judgments of their competence (and avoid negative judgments). Students who are striving toward learning goals are likely to take difficult courses and to seek challenges; students with performance goals focus on getting good grades, taking easy courses, and avoiding challenging situations" (p. 306).

"Learning goals: The goals of students who are motivated primarily by desire for knowledge acquisition and self-improvement. Also called mastery goals" (p. 306).

"Performance goals: The goals of students who are motivated primarily by a desire to gain recognition from others and to earn good grades" (p. 306).

"The most important implication of research on learning goals versus performance goals is that teachers should try to convince students that learning rather than grades is the purpose of academic work (p. 307).