Purpose: The psychological theory of self-determination postulated that gamification enhances learning engagement by intrinsically motivating learners to undertake tasks spontaneously. Gamification has then been integrated into adult learning as part of the initiative of learner-centred pedagogies to curb the low retention rates of adult learners…

The production-oriented approach (POA) is a nascent language-teaching approach that considers the aptitudes of Chinese learners. This study compared POA with task-based language teaching (TBLT) and presentation-practice-production (PPP) theoretically and empirically. A four-quadrant model and a theoretical comparison table are proposed to clarify…

This paper investigated a research area worthy of greater attention: foreign language classroom anxiety (hereafter FLCA) and enjoyment (hereafter FLE) of older adults learning English as a foreign language in Chinese Universities of the Third Age. Understanding the largely overlooked emotional involvement of older language learners contributes to…

This study illuminates students' purposive cultivation of guanxi, or social networks based on continuous exchange of resources, in the context of China's Adult Higher Education (HE) system. Interviews with 30 students reveal the motivations underpinning their creation of informal ties amongst peers, which they consider to procure beneficial…

Numerous research investigations have explored various approaches to online sports instruction; however, limited data exist regarding students' perspectives on the use of video and text-based instructional techniques. This paper endeavours to examine the impact of two asynchronous online physical learning methods (the YouTube method and the text…

This study investigates the acquisition of normative knowledge and values about democracy by North Korean refugees in the United States through everyday experiences and academic concepts. Drawing on Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, which posits that knowledge is socially constructed and forms the basis of a society's culture, an analysis is…

In the current research, we developed and validated a questionnaire to measure Chinese working adults' motivation to study accounting on a path of lifelong learning in Hong Kong, China. We conducted individual in-depth interviews with adult learners (n = 30) and professionals (n = 12) in study 1 and study 2. Qualitative analysis showed six…

Lexical ability, an umbrella term to cover various knowledge and skills pertaining to words in print, is a key component in reading comprehension. Little is known how different facets of lexical ability jointly contribute to L2 reading comprehension and how the contributions may differ between higher- and lower-proficiency L2 learners. This study,…

Reverse education, where younger individuals teach older adults, has gained prominence but lacks comprehensive understanding regarding its dynamics and impacts. This study addresses this gap by exploring the cognitive processes of older adult learners who view young university students as their teachers. Through semi-structured interviews with 12…

Error correction has been one of the central themes in accounting for potential gains in second language (L2) writing. While a wide range of empirical studies focused on the effects of written corrective feedback (WCF) on learners' writing outcomes, few of them have specifically examined the feedback process, or its potential role as a shaping…

This paper presents the results of a retrospective study that investigates the cognitive effects of learning a foreign language in late adulthood. The learner group, consisting of 21 L1 Chinese speakers who have been learning to read Arabic for 2 years and 4 months, were compared to the matched group on their performance on a series of cognitive…

This study utilizes the personal critical narrative of myself, a woman from the Chaoshan region in China, as the primary data source to explore the impact of traditional gender roles and patriarchal values on women's personal growth transformation through a feminist lens. Integrating feminist and transformative learning theory, it encompasses my…

Maslow's hierarchical needs theory has a unique approach to classifying human needs into five different levels. Some researchers agree that Maslow's need theory followed a "low-high" order and that there is a dominance level for five needs in a hierarchical structure. At the same time, some researchers argue that Maslow's needs are…

The purpose of this study is to explore the experience of Chinese immigrant mothers in Canada and the US overcoming the challenges through adult learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Transformative learning theory is utilized as a theoretical framework. Transformative learning, as an important component of adult learning theory, emphasizes the…

The Commission on International Adult Education (CIAE) of the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE) provides a forum for the discussion of international issues related to adult education in general, as well as adult education in various countries around the globe. These "Proceedings" are from the Commission of…