Describes a study conducted by the College Board to examine what motivates adults to return to school and profile their patterns of learning as they enter and re-enter the educational system. Finds that most adults return to school to improve their careers. Forecasts the future of adult education and its implications for community colleges. (CJW)

Recognizes the influence of praise on human behavior, and provides specific suggestions on how to maximize the positive effects of praise when intended as positive reinforcement. Examines contingency, specificity, and selectivity aspects of praise. Cautions teachers to avoid the controlling effects of praise and the possibility that praise may…

Reviews several teaching methodologies in terms of negative affect. Findings indicate that in those situations where students have little incentive to do well or admit that they wish to do poorly, increased negative affect can motivate them to function at a level of operational tension and achieve optimum learning and performance. (36 references)…

This article discusses the advantages of delivering course content by classroom multimedia rather than by traditional lecture, and describes a three-tiered approach used by Salisbury State University (MD) to motivate and train those faculty willing to adapt presentations for the use of multimedia technology. The method hinges on faculty sharing…

Sets up a contrast between the traditional pedagogical practices in secondary school and in whole language practices of elementary schools. Maintains that the level of interest and involvement being so much greater in elementary school argues strongly for reform in secondary schools. (TB)

The case is made that advances in chaos and complexity theories and self-organizing systems have important implications for the field of learning disabilities. Problems with behaviorism are discussed and the properties of self-organizing systems are explained. The concepts of continuous, nonlinear development and motivation and volition are…

Examines the negative consequences of group grades in cooperative learning situations: they are unfair; they make report cards less meaningful; they undermine motivation; they convey the wrong message; they violate individual accountability; and they create parental resistance to cooperative learning. Alternative ideas for rewarding group efforts…

Presents suggestions to assist elementary teachers in engaging their students in investigating real environments to develop true self-esteem and learn to cope with occasional frustration or negative feedback. One sidebar discusses how much self-esteem is enough. Another sidebar suggests questions to ask before praising a child. (SM)

Describes the design and implementation of a developmental English course for community college students still not performing at college level after a semester of remedial work. Discusses the theoretical background of the curriculum, book selection criteria, the course reading list, and classroom activities used to increase motivation and…

Describes techniques used in a multi-age class at Coupeville Elementary School, Washington, to boost reading comprehension and inspire students' love of books: access to an abundance of books, challenges to students, skills reinforcement, combined phonics and whole-language instruction, running-record assessment, paired reading, independent…

Female mathematics and physics graduate students participating in focus groups identified common themes that played important roles in their decisions to go into scientific careers. These factors included the amount of encouragement they received from others, attributes of their undergraduate school, their experiences of competition and…

Describes how the author used research booklets to be read by sixth graders, poetry books, and taking part in a city-wide writing competition with her eighth-grade students to combat a general apathy in many students' writing efforts. Suggests the projects spoke to individual interests, helped students find a purpose to write, and improved the…

Studied academic motivational orientation in 410 Greek elementary and junior high school students. Findings show student preference for challenge and intrinsic interest in the subject material, a positive relationship between academic intrinsic motivation and self-perception of scholastic competence, and additive effects of academic motivation and…

Reports a one-year study in a fourth-grade classroom to help students become able readers and instill in them a desire to read. States that the reading program included silent reading, choices of reading materials, sharing of literature, and appropriate adult modeling. Reports increases in reading rates, comprehension, vocabulary, and amount of…

Study (35 international students) of the effects of graphics within a computer-assisted instructional program about the rules of American football. Subjects receiving lessons with supplemental graphics received higher post-test scores, completed the test in less time, and reported higher motivation with computer-assisted instruction than those…