  Students' learning orientation, as applied towards learning problem solving,
may be differentiated into learning a problem solving framework for its own
sake, learning for the sake of doing well in the course, and non-goal-related
considerations. In previous work, the role of learning orientation in student
performance on a metacognitive problem solving exercise appeared to have some
correlation with choice of major within life sciences, gains in conceptual
understanding and attitudes towards problem solving skills. We examine a larger
data set, taken from fourteen laboratory sections over six semesters of an
introductory algebra-based physics course at the University of Central
Arkansas, in which students worked on the problem solving exercise with their
laboratory partners prior to a conceptually related laboratory exercise. We
discuss the implications of analysis of the larger data set, in consideration
of two arguably different IPLS-like populations.
