Interviews with 20 adult Wiccans explored why they undertook learning that will marginalize them. The Wiccan learning process reflected elements of socially acceptable learning. They were motivated by intense curiosity and the search for meaning; they undertook self-directed exploratory study, focused formal learning, experiential learning,…

Asserts that the problems of struggling university students are neither entirely technical, as suggested by traditionalists, nor entirely social/structural, as suggested by postmodernists. Suggests that these students need an alternative epistemological view, one that enables them to see themselves as creators of personal knowledge rather than as…

Three groups of strategies for overcoming trainee resistance are (1) preventing (distracting, assuming a "one-down" position, baiting, preempting, linking); (2) circumventing (refraining, disengaging); and (3) using resistance (treating it as substantive agreement). (SK)

Specifies language acquisition processes in terms of brain mechanisms to explain the variable success achieved by early and late learners and proposes a brain-based model for language acquisition on the basis of the literature. Two conditions for full acquisition of a language are motivation and grammatical ability. The neural underpinnings for…

Survey of 90 participants in a residential summer school and interviews with 13 aged 62-90 revealed diverse life experiences that correlated with multiple meanings and motivations for educational activity. Low participation of the elderly was associated with early negative experiences. Educational outcomes for older adults did not lend themselves…

This study examines the relationships between four dimensions of the epistemological beliefs of college students (fixed ability, simple knowledge, quick learning, certain knowledge) and eight skill components of self-regulated learning. In general, students with more sophisticated beliefs were more likely to be engaged in a variety of…

Explains the use of instant lessons to quickly create an instructional module. Highlights include content for each type of knowledge needed; what makes a lesson complete; how to develop lesson elements, including motivation; and how to effectively combine lesson elements. (LRW)

A literature review on motivation and cognitive style and a survey of participants in management development suggests that participants' motivation may not be conducive to effective outcomes. In-house programs using workplace learning models in organizations with strong and pervasive cultures may constrain opportunities to put learning into…

Two projects attempted to assess and meet small and medium-sized enterprises' training needs. Britain's Learning support for Small Businesses delivery methods included paper, CD-ROM, and the Internet. The University of Limerick, Ireland, offered face-to-face learning for microenterprises. (SK)

Young British adults (n=47) identified situations for which they needed basic skills and barriers to skill development: low self-confidence, negative learning attitudes, peer pressure, cost, and scheduling. Results suggested the importance of grounding basic skills in everyday contexts; offering accessible classes, small groups, and individual…

In interviews with 38 adults returning to education, many expressed the need to redress a perceived imbalance. Their initial motivation was often vocational, but the experience of transition caused situational or dispositional imbalances in their lives that they sought to correct through education. (SK)

Evidence from multimedia research is far from being conclusive because of producing confounding effects or of neglecting parameters. Motivation plays a major role in this shortcoming as traditional multimedia theory is mainly based on cognitive factors, widely ignoring the fact that motivation significantly influences learning resources. Within…

Background: Laboratory studies have consistently found that competition induces performance goals and affects learning motivation. However, the ecological validity of these results is yet to be established. There is a need for investigation of whether the results hold in both the classroom context and non-Western culture. Aim: The study…

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…