Mobile technologies offer the opportunity to embed learning in a natural environment. This paper describes the design of the MobileGame prototype, exploring the opportunities to support learning through an orientation game in a university setting. The paper first introduces the scenario and then describes the general architecture of the prototype.…

Constructivist and conceptual change perspectives on learning have given rise to a number of models of constructivist classroom teaching. Motivation has been recognized as an important factor in the construction of knowledge and the process of conceptual change, so one could expect that motivation strategies would be integral components of…

When teaching to the "typical" student doesn't work, teachers can tap into students' areas of greatest comfort, confidence, and passion and teach to their strengths. Five principles guide this work, which involves learning to recognize diverse student strengths, helping students see their capabilities in a positive light, helping students…

Both transfer and motivation are important constructs accompanied by extensive bodies of literature. However, there is a lack of integration of the 2 constructs. This article analyzes the potential indirect influence of motivational factors on transfer by reviewing studies that examine the influence of motivation on cognitive processes related to…

The authors examined perceptions of the motivation concept among 69 teachers and 77 counselors from Israeli secondary schools. Participants responded to 3 questionnaires that the authors constructed for this study on the basis of goal theory (e.g., C. Midgley, 2002). The authors also interviewed 10 counselors and 10 teachers. Results showed that…

In this article, the author presents an activity which allows students to construct various rhythm patterns in 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4 meter by using M&Ms and pretzels as an extrinsic motivation. Rhythmic notation is a foundation for learning music concepts. Engaging students in representative modules helps them to learn and recognize note values and…

This review examines instructional design models and the construction of knowledge. It further explores to identify the chilling benefits of these models for the inputs and outputs of knowledge transfer. This assessment also attempts to define instructional design models through the eyes and the minds of renowned scholars as well as the most…

Using the model of domain learning as a theoretical framework, the study was designed to examine the extent to which learners' initial learning profiles based on previously acquired knowledge, learning strategy application, and interest-based motivation were distinctive in learning softball. Participants were 177 sixth-graders from three middle…

Developmentalists state that children are born with the intrinsic motivation to learn, but studies show that this intrinsic desire to learn begins to wane during the early school years, around third grade, and continues a steady decline through eighth grade. Intrinsic motivation is at the core of information literacy, the foundation for a desire…

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of multimedia as a delivery tool for enhancing vocabulary in second-language classrooms. The mixed method design focused on specific techniques to help students acquire Spanish vocabulary and communication skills. The theoretical framework for this study consisted of second language theories…

In this article, the author shares her experience and the lessons learned in teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) for a decade. After thousands of lessons, uncountable revisions to those lessons, numerous hours of professional development, access to dozens of talented colleagues, and an abundance of thoughts and insights from…

Modeling is a core practice in science and a central part of scientific literacy. We present theoretical and empirical motivation for a learning progression for scientific modeling that aims to make the practice accessible and meaningful for learners. We define scientific modeling as including the elements of the practice (constructing, using,…

All of the ideas and advice you can get on research-based school improvement don't matter if your community does not address norms that discourage and dishonor academic achievement. Fortunately, here's a book with lots of successful examples from real schools that shows how educators can collaborate with others to reverse poor motivation, reward…

Middle schoolers are developing skills for learning. Part of those skills is learning how to be an active participant in class and take control over their classroom behavior. Students who are not actively listening or participating are not internally motivated to learn the material. It was my hope that by reflecting upon their participation each…

This study was designed to examine the relative contributions of student and parents' socio-demographics, students' beliefs about learning, parental support of children's learning, peers' attitudes towards learning, teacher-student interaction and curriculum content to students' motivation to learn. The sample consisted of 275 school-age children…