That just shows I can't do it:: Goal orientation and attitudes concerning help amongst pre service teachers

Drawing upon motivational goal theories, the present study analyses the relation between goal orientation for teaching and the attitudes concerning help-seeking using a sample of N= 224 pre service teachers. Perceptions of help-seeking as threatening to the self could be predicted from avoidance performance goals (i. e., the goal not to be considered as a bad teacher). The perception of help as beneficial for learning could be predicted from learning goals (i. e., the goal to gain expertise in teaching). Work avoidance predicted the perception of help as often causing additional work. We discuss how motivational factors impact on teachers' beliefs, attitudes, and behavior.