Delineating Mastery Goal Complexes in Teacher Professional Learning: A Qualitative Exploration of “Needing to” versus “Wanting to” Reasons

This study explores the complex dynamics of achievement goal pursuit within the context of teacher professional learning by investigating “wanting to” and “needing to” reasons underlying mastery goals. Through semi-structured interviews, we asked a broad sample of 24 German school teachers about their personal mastery goals for professional learning and the degree to which goal pursuit was based on “wanting to” and “needing to”. Two raters coded the goals using an established category system (κ = 0.74). Learning approach and task approach goals were mentioned most frequently, but learning avoidance and task avoidance goals also occurred. Each of the four mastery goals was pursued because of “wanting to” (as a meaningful end-state in itself, including authentic interests and intrinsic enjoyment) and/or “needing to” (e.g., as a requirement or precondition for accomplishment and external pressures and obligations) reasons. Findings provide ecological support for the existence of (mastery) goal complexes, and suggest “wanting to” and “needing to” as a psychologically meaningful distinction.