GO FOR THE GOAL: SETTING PERSONAL OBJECTIVES IN BIOLOGY Nancy Wells – The Kiski School – Pennsylvania INTRODUCTION METHODOLOGY The Kiskiminetas Springs School (Kiski) is a In this investigation, students wrote and private, all-boys, college preparatory, tracked individual SMART goals in general boarding high school located in rural biology classes with the purpose of western Pennsylvania. There are about 200 improving understanding and increasing students from fifteen states and thirty-five motivation. Feedback was provided after countries. It is expected that 100% of the writing each goal and the students wrote a students will go to college. Kiski was Reflection at the end of each goal cycle. established in 1888 to provide boys with Additional data was obtained from tests, Specific rigorous academics and vigorous athletic grades, observations, and interviews. Measurable competition in a boarding school Attainable environment that encompasses 350 acres. Realistic DATA Timely Monthly Grade Comparison CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK First Research indicates that students will Second become engaged in a task when they have perceived success or attain the Third Grading Month Grading grade that they sought. Soaring Fourth achievement in a subject intrinsically encourages students to keep pressing 0 5 10 15 forward due to inner feelings of Number of Students optimism and delight (Budge, 2000). A B C D F QUESTIONS CONCLUSION The focal questions of this investigation Plan your Through the students’ personal were, “Do the strategies of setting Work reflections and monthly grade personal goals and providing feedback and comparison I concluded that more help students to learn biology?” and “Do students earned higher grades as well, Work your most of the students thought that writing students earn higher grades on content Plan specific tests after incorporating these goals helped them to learn the material strategies”. and provided them with an action plan to study and review regularly. Budge, David. (2000). Motivating students for lifelong learning. What works in innovation in education. Washington D.C.:OECD..