This study of third graders examined whether qualitatively distinct cooperative computer environments (using LOGO and curriculum-based instruction in writing) engender social experiences that enhance motivation and self-concepts as learners; and the extent to which differences in motivation and self-perception accounted for differences in…

Discusses the importance of affective considerations when designing instruction for distance education. Topics discussed include learner motivation based on Keller's ARCS model (Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction); communication patterns that facilitate interaction between students; and ethics involved with marketing programs,…

Prospective and retrospective studies of 1,659 secondary school students and 198 workers in England and Malaysia found positive relationships between intrinsic motivations for learning and working. The "diploma disease" thesis, which posits negative relationships between examination-oriented schooling in developing nations and intrinsic…

Theories of motivation suggest three approaches to enhancing college student learning: (1) reshaping students' overall achievement orientation; (2) creating the expectation of success; and (3) increasing the value of academic outcomes by helping students develop personal goals and identify means of achieving them. (MSE)

A study of the Wimmera (Victoria, Australia) Adult Literacy and Basic Education Group (WALBEG) surveyed 30 participants to identify reasons people undertook courses, assess the impact of WALBEG programs on the individual and on the community, and investigate possible use of new learning technologies in future delivery of adult programs. (CDS)

Describes an academically-oriented English-as-a-Second-Language program at an urban community college in the Southwest that aggressively recruited international students, particularly from the Pacific Rim. Discusses the differences between immigrant and international students, such as attitudes and motivation toward learning English and…

Discusses two practices of the centuries-old Chinese Confucian academies that might benefit the American college teacher today: how Chinese academies have fostered student-teacher rapport and how they developed student motivation to learn. The origins and loss of these traditions are also examined. (MSE)

Presents findings relating to a study on pupils' perceptions of the in-school foreign language learning experience. The study is part of a longitudinal study on the motivational perspectives of secondary pupils learning German. (Author/VWL)

Uses an attitude/motivation battery and matched-guise procedure to examine Kazak, Uygur, and Yi subject's ratings of Putonghua (PTH) and Chinese ethnic minority nationality (EMN) languages and 12 variables in PTH learning. Shows among other things that integrative orientation of Beijing people are the best predictors of EMN's instrumental…

The National Research Council (1996), the American Association for the Advancement of Science (1993) and the National Science Teachers Association (2004) all posit that quality science instruction for all students is imperative in promoting scientific literacy that extends into adulthood. Hands-on, inquiry based experiences are effective means of…

There is no shortage of important research findings describing how educators may improve the academic and social achievement of adolescents (Ames and Archer 1988; Anderman 2002; Goodenow 1993; Committee on Increasing High School Student Engagement and Motivation to Learn 2003; Turner et al. 2003). Despite the soundness of this research and the…

Introduction: Foreign language learners also often hold different beliefs or notions about language learning (Horwitz 1987), and existing research suggests that learner beliefs have the potential to influence both their experiences and actions as language learners. Method: This paper reports on a study which investigated the language learning…

Objective: This study surveyed residents' experiences learning an emerging area of demand in psychiatry at a time when there is a lag in training resources. Unexpectedly, the data generated useful evidence in support of adult learning theory. The result is a post hoc examination of learner attitudes and activities during the spread of a new…

This study reports on collaboration between second language (L2) instructors of English and Japanese. Learners and speakers of each language were brought together on a regular basis to serve as models, partners, group members, and supportive peers to assist each other's language learning efforts. ANOVA analyses were used to contrast students in…

Language learning motivation plays an important role in both research and teaching, yet language learners are still largely understood in terms of North American and European cultural values. This research explored language learning motivation constructs in a Chinese cultural setting, where large numbers of students are required to study English.…