Investigates the existence of distinct motivational groups within a population of Taiwan English as a foreign language learners. Assumed the existence of both an integrative and instrumental motivation. A hypothesized motivation, labeled "required" was also tested for. Results did not support existence of an integrative motivational…

Describes a faculty development workshop designed to teach about the Six Trait Analytical Model, explaining how the facilitator's presentation and the attending teachers' attitudes combined to make the workshop a grueling experience. (SM)

Structural equation modeling was used to test a model's goodness of fit using data from 81 Hong Kong business graduates. The validated model demonstrated that career commitment is positively related to learning motivation and transfer. Suppression effect may explain the lack of relationship between job involvement and motivation/transfer.…

Describes the lack of importance ascribed to English as a language in Elizabethan times and points out that the popularity of any language resides in its perceived cultural and economic capitol. Draws distinctions between instrumental and integrative motivations and discusses the place of favorable attitudes and positive motivations in language…

Examination of the motivational styles of 63 children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder using parent, teacher, and self-ratings found ADHD children characterized by a preference for easy work, less enjoyment of learning, less persistence, and a greater reliance on external than on internal standards. Some differences between children…

Study examines the motivation factors of at risk students in an alternative education program. Results indicate that control and challenge were significant predictors of the motivation variables. Findings are discussed in terms of the influence of instructional tasks on student motivation and desire to engage in learning activities. (Author/GCP)

Discusses a theoretical model that can be used to deepen understanding of the nature and process of self-learning, and to facilitate students in becoming highly motivated and effective self-learners with the support of a networked human and information technology (IT) environment. Explores how the theory's implications can contribute to…

Discusses ways to reduce children's fear and discomfort in the learning situation by accommodating the children's interests through cultural themes that represent emotions and anxieties preventing the organization of thought. (JPB)

Interviews with 23 disadvantaged and aboriginal postsecondary students in Canada addressed academic motivation; study barriers and supports; knowledge, skills, and abilities; career goals; and definitions of success. Most had a high need for achievement, encountered situational barriers, were goal oriented, and believed postsecondary education…

In a large general education class where students demonstrate their personal creativity, a self-grading system was used during one semester and a conventional teacher-evaluation system was used during the second semester. The purpose was to gauge whether the self-grading system was appropriate. Students adapted well to the procedures used, and…

This study reveals the school culture and the teachers' professional development activities in a Japanese high school learning environment. Furthermore, it documents the relationships among the context, teachers' beliefs, practices, and interactions. Using multiple data sources including interviews, observations, and documents of teachers from an…

The effects of graduate students' peer orientation on achievement and motivation to learn with cooperative learning strategies while enrolled in a 1-semester educational research methods course were investigated. During 15 weekly lessons (2 hr and 50 min each), students with high and low peer orientation were exposed to cooperative-learning…

Too many of our brightest and most capable students are sometimes caught in a system that places too much emphasis on linguistic, word smart intelligence or mathematical, number smart intelligence. Students at all levels of academic readiness from developmental to honors are affected by the rigidity of this way of thinking. Focusing solely on…

It is well established that children are already learning science before entering school as they actively construct meaning from the world around them. Using children's previous and personal experiences to engage them with new and unfamiliar concepts can be a powerful tool, and their motivation to learn will increase if they see how the science…

Through an exegetic reading of Peirce's minor texts on higher education, I find that Peirce's conception of a "Liberal Education" is close to the Herbartian conception of "Bildung." Peirce calls for a general education with the ambition of qualifying critical thinkers with the capacity to go beyond the strict rules and narrow borders of the "artes…