Non-cognitive characteristics of students in four Southeast Asian countries -- Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Viet Nam -- were reviewed based on the PISA 2009, 2012, and 2015 data. Overall, students in this region demonstrated similarities with respect to their non-cognitive dispositions such as learning habits, approaches to learning,…

To better understand the motivation and strategies used by students around the world, a comparative study among three different countries was performed. The current study used the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) questionnaire to collect responses from students in public and private universities of Bangladesh. The results…

This article summarizes the key finding of a study that (a) tests the measurement invariance (MI) of the popular Students' Approaches to Learning instrument (Programme for International Student Assessment [PISA]) across ethnic/cultural groups within a country and (b) discusses implications for research focusing on the role of affective measures in…

This study explores what makes high achievement at a top university in order to gain insights into college learning. For this purpose, institution-wide in-depth interviews were conducted with the 45 highest achievers (GPA of 4.0/4.3 or higher) at a top Korean university, and the interview data were primarily analyzed qualitatively to investigate…

The present study aimed at adapting in the Greek language the Students' Motivation Towards Science Learning (SMTSL) questionnaire developed by Tuan, Chin, and Shieh ("INT J SCI EDUC" 27(6): 639-654, 2005a) into a different cultural context, a different age group, that is, in university students and with a focus on physics learning. Three…

The role of adolescents' disclosure to their parents in their academic adjustment was examined in a study of 825 American and Chinese adolescents (mean age = 12.73 years). Four times over the seventh and eighth grades, adolescents reported on their spontaneous disclosure of everyday activities to their parents, the quality of their relationships…

This study investigated cultural variations between two samples of Arab and American distance learners (N = 190). The overarching purpose was to chart the underlying relationships between learner self-regulation and cultural orientation within distance education environments using structural equation modeling. The study found significant…

Anecdotal evidence abounds in Hong Kong to the effect that students entering tertiary education are predisposed to a "rote" learning approach. With the internalisation of higher education in many countries, there is still insufficient understanding of how Chinese students approach their learning. Except few studies were conducted…

This report explores the factors and conditions that could help more students succeed at school despite challenging socio-economic backgrounds. It does this by studying resilient students and what sets them apart from their less successful peers. Understanding how educational systems can support disadvantaged students and help them "beat the…

This research examined motivational trajectories during early adolescence in the United States and China. Upon their entry into middle school at 7th grade and every 6 months thereafter until the end of 8th grade, 825 American and Chinese children (mean age = 12.73 years) reported on their motivational beliefs (e.g., mastery orientation) and…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine whether there is a cultural gap in student perceptions of online collaborative learning and to investigate to what extent student perceptions, motivation, and learning strategies change over time due to the actual involvement in a collaborative e-learning environment (ELE).…

Compared school motivation and use of deep processing (an indicator of learning quality) among black and white South African students from two recently integrated secondary schools. Student surveys found no significant ethnic group differences. Both groups considered working hard and having interest in school tasks to be more important than…

This study examined the construct validity of the Motivation Orientation and Language Learning Strategy Scales: For Spanish as a Foreign Language (MOLLS). The MOLLS is a Likert-type scale, that has 20 items in 5 broad categories in the motivation orientation scale (MOS) and 18 items in 3 broad categories in the language learning strategies scale…

This book is about strategies learners can use to make their language learning and practice more successful and enjoyable. It is also about how teachers can help their learners develop those strategies. By making strategies part of their courses, teachers can help prepare their learners for their future study. This practical guide gives examples…

This guide to improving student persistence is the first part of a four-part series addressing the essential characteristics of effective instruction that have a positive impact on the academic achievement of Black and Hispanic students. Persistence is learned behavior, and lower-class students are more likely than middle-class students to observe…