Previous research shows that digital game-based learning (DGBL) can have positive effects on engagement, motivation and learning, and that using narratives may reinforce these effects. A systematic review identified 15 DGBL systems that report effects from their use of narratives. A gap in the field, however, is the lack of a common model to…

This article describes the processes and outcomes of a research project exploring children's motivation to write, undertaken by four pre-primary teachers in Western Australia. The teachers adopted a sociocultural theoretical framework using child centred participatory methodology, in which 109 children aged between five and six years shared their…

Anatomy and physiology courses are sometimes seen as difficult, which can lead to a lack of motivation in students to learn and engage in the course material. Students may also see the material as "dry," have issues forming personal connections, or struggle to connect the content to the real world. These issues may lead to students not…

This paper explores the potential of "civic science education" (CSE), which includes experiences that have been intentionally designed to foster or enhance individuals' interactions with and/or engagement in science-related public matters. To begin, we provide a theoretically-grounded definition of CSE, including three sub-categories:…

This research looked at the choices that children make in the classroom when offered manual and technological options to measure scientific variables. Over 170 school children were involved in science lessons designed in collaboration with school teachers and the research team as part of the planned curriculum. We found that approximately 25% of…

This article explores the relationship between enchantment and understanding in children's literature, where literary enchantment is not only an experience in which words entrance and mesmerize, eradicating the boundaries of ordinary perception, but also one that advances the reader's cognition. Focusing on Philip Pullman's "His Dark…

The authors illustrate the compatibility of building K-2 readers' foundational skills and their motivation for completing reading and related tasks within reading interventions. First, the authors introduce the orthographic mapping process, which requires foundational reading skills because of its role in facilitating fluent reading. Research…

We conducted a meta-analysis on the most commonly used forensic polygraph test, the Comparison Question Test. We captured as many studies as possible by using broad inclusion criteria. Data and potential moderators were coded from 138 datasets. The meta-analytic effect size including inconclusive outcomes was 0.69 [0.66, 0.79]. We found…

With roots in social psychology, second language (L2) motivation has largely been investigated using self-report techniques. Studies drawing on observational data gathered in contexts where learning takes place are rare, and understandings of how motivation evolves in classroom interactions remain limited (Boo, Dörnyei, & Ryan, 2015). In a…

This study explores student motivation to pursue a master's degree. It also explores how motivation differs based on the students' background, such as his or her study mode or place of origin. Qualitative data were collected through seventy semi-structured interviews of master's students in various programmes in Hong Kong. The results of this…

One long-standing theoretical model of shyness proposes that the origins and maintenance of shyness are associated with an approach-avoidance motivational conflict (Asendorpf, 1990), such that shy individuals are motivated to socially engage (high approach motivation) but are too anxious to do so (high avoidance motivation). However, this model…

In this paper we consider some of the problems inherent in the attempt to define and circumscribe an exclusively 'educational love', as presented by Joris Vlieghe and Piotr Zamojski in a recent paper for this journal. In seeking to move beyond the confusing interpersonal relations involved in student-centred discourses on teaching, the authors aim…

This article offers an outline of 3D science that conceptualises science around three dimensions: domain knowledge, evidence-management procedures and psychological energy. We propose that this model could underpin a rigorous, effective and motivating approach to science education in schools. We show how self-determination theory offers useful…

Professional and amateur artists seek inspiration from viewing the works of others to enhance their creativity. This paper focuses on inspiration for artistic creation through art viewing by reviewing psychology studies on what types of artwork promote individuals' inspiration for creation (inspiring artwork) and how they experience inspiration…

The purpose of this research was to examine the role of leisure in undergraduate students' education. In particular, the study investigated the relationships among leisure centrality, self-satisfaction, and academic intrinsic motivation. Using a sample drawn from university students in Singapore, this study examined a hypothesized structural…