Students have misconceptions about many scientific topics they encounter in the classroom--such misconceptions are especially rife in subjects with counterintuitive concepts. Several studies have copiously documented students' misconceptions in different science domains. Research shows that students' misconceptions can be resistant to change and…

The goal of this study is to identify the relationship between K-12 teachers' self-efficacy beliefs, classroom goal structure and use of instructional strategies. The study also aims to determine if there is variance in the relationship between these constructs for primary versus secondary school teachers. Data collection involved completion of a…

Within the context of Pintrich's self-regulated learning model, recent reviews of the literature show that motivational factors are the strongest predictors of academic performance. Even so, gaps remain in terms of which goal orientation constructs area most strongly related to performance, and whether academic self-efficacy is involved in such…

Teachers' goal orientations for teaching are one of the most important motivational beliefs affecting instructional processes. This study investigated the structural relationship between teachers' goal orientations for teaching and their attitudes towards their job through measures of self-efficacy and burnout. 495 teachers (working in primary,…

The importance of vocabulary, its types, selection criteria, size and depth, and teaching principles were found unclear. The present article seeks to respond to such challenge. To achieve the mentioned goals, we did a systematic review to previously related studies and theories. The results showed that the vocabulary was found to be more…

The importance of vocabulary, its types, selection criteria, size and depth, and teaching principles were found unclear. The present article seeks to respond to such challenge. To achieve the mentioned goals, we did a systematic review to previously related studies and theories. The results showed that the vocabulary was found to be more…

Teachers' formal accountability and duties have been the focus of high-stakes educational reforms, for instance in the context of national accountability systems. Yet, teachers' sense of personal (rather than formal) responsibility and willingness to assume responsibility for their teaching and students remains an understudied area. The main…

This study examines teachers' and students' self-efficacy in the US and Egyptian context. More specifically, the study examines teachers' and students' self-efficacy in twelve classrooms; six in the US and six in Egypt. The research questions are formulated in order to understand the relationship between students' self-efficacy, their perceptions…

Self-regulated learning skills (such as goal setting, organizing environment and time, seeking help and self-evaluation) are critical for students to be able to successfully and meaningful learn abstract concepts such as reduction, oxidation and electrolysis. The purpose of this research was to examine the relationships between self-regulated…

Although students' motivational frameworks (entity vs. incremental) have been linked to academic achievement, little is known about how early this link emerges and how motivational frameworks develop in the first place. In a year-long study (student N = 424, Teacher N = 58), we found that, as early as 1st and 2nd grade, children who endorsed an…

Problem Statement: Motivation plays an important role in explaining students' academic achievement. In an effort to explain students' purposes for learning and the reasons they engage in a learning activity, different achievement goal models (dichotomous, trichotomous, and 2x2) have been proposed over time. The present study aimed to extend…

The main aim of this study is to integrate cooperative learning strategies, mastery learning and interactive multimedia to improve students' performance in Mathematics, specifically in the topic of matrices. It involved a quasi-experimental design with gain scores and time-on-task as dependent variables. The independent variables were three…

Two staff members working in different preschools received training in the form of instructions, modeling, immediate feedback, and social reinforcement of good performance. Effects of training were assessed with a multiple baseline ABCDCDCD design. Correct use of basic behavioral teaching techniques increased from 16-31% to 92-95% and the rate of…

The interaction of mental ability and of two different instructional methods was investigated for a second grade linear metric curriculum unit. Mental ability was positively correlated with achievement under the guided discovery method, but essentially uncorrelated for the self paced mastery learning method. (Author/JKS)

Describes a study of the effects of mastery learning strategies, interactive video mathematics, individualized instruction, and traditional lectures on community college student achievement, comparing outcomes by instructional method and student characteristics. Finds higher achievement for mastery learning and video methods and for adults 22…