Assessment of Motivation to learn (MtL) is challenging in the diverse populations. Commonly used method (i.e., exact invariance test) may not be suitable for companions of many subgroups. This study employed an alignment optimization method (a.k.a., approximate invariance test) and data of the working age (25-65 years old) U.S. adults (n = 5,509)…

In spite of the trend toward online learning in higher education in Australia, few research examined university students' online learning attitude changes and the factors which could predict their attitude changes. The paper aimed to investigate 120 Australian university students' attitudes toward online learning in a blended course. The factors,…

The overwhelming majority of research on environmental influences has concentrated on the social environment, to the relative neglect of the physical environment. This neglect is justified by an unvalidated hypothesis, namely that the physical environment must be mediated by social parameters in order to influence development. Two studies were…

To estimate the influence of positive reinforcement on classroom learning, the authors analyzed statistical data from 39 studies spanning the years 1958-1978 and containing a combined sample of 4,842 students in 202 classes. Twenty-nine characteristics of each study's sample, methodology, and reliability were coded to measure their effects on…

Four Introduction to Psychology and six Developmental Psychology graduate teaching assistants collected student ratings from their students with the newly created Evaluation of College Instructor (ECI) rating instrument. A total of 82 Introduction to Psychology students and 186 Developmental Psychology students completed the ECI shortly before the…

Using analysis of variance and regression techniques, the authors analyzed the results of 40 studies that were conducted between 1953 and 1976 and contained 232 correlations between various measures of motivation and achievement. The motivation variables were restricted to students' achievement motivation, locus-of-control perceptions, and general…

Progress that has been made in second language research in the last two years and future directions in the research methodology of second language studies are discussed. In order to examine the continuation and expansion of current research, the research reported by Schumann (1976) is compared with current research as represented by the titles of…

This document contains three papers from a symposium on motivation for learning and performance that was conducted as part of a conference on human resource development (HRD). "A Holistic Approach towards Motivation To Learn" (Constantine Kontoghiorghes) reports on a study that identified the following key variables within and outside…

The association between ethnic group identification, attributional style, and the use of self-protective attributions with respect to self-esteem, academic achievement and motivation among ethnically diverse adolescents was examined. Participants in the study included 422 African American, 90 Arab American, and 194 European American high school…

In order to determine the effect of being disabled on the academic progress of disabled college students, a questionnaire assessing the social climate of a major western university, the quality of its programs and instruction, and student academic and career expectations was administered to 100 disabled students. Factors explored in the…

This study tested a causal model of student college predisposition that incorporated traditional measures of influences (parents' education, income, gender, parents' expectations, grades, school activities), as well as two additional influences (first-generation status and mentoring) identified in qualitative studies of pre-college through early…

This document contains four papers on organizational enhancement and human resource development (HRD). "Motivation to Improve Work through Learning in Human Resource Development" (Sharon S. Naquin, Elwood F. Holton III) argues that HRD's traditional conceptualization of motivation should be expanded to incorporate motivation to use…