These two decades have seen a surge in interest in the study of motivation throughout the field of language acquisition. Several distinguished motivational theories have been established: self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985), goal-setting theories (Locke & Latham, 1990), attribution theory (Weiner, 1992), self-worth theory…

Author describes the anti-intellectualism of today's post-industrial society'' and offers suggestions for the university's role in adult education. (SP)

In Japan, Internet based learning is still at an early stage. However, adult learners in Japanese society expect the development of flexible e-learning programs. This case study examines motivational factors affecting online learning in a Japanese and Australian MBA program, using observations, interviews and a questionnaire survey. The data were…

In the field of SLA, there have been various attempts to define second language learning motivation and to discover relationships between motivation and gender. Using two well-known motivational models: Expectancy-value theory, and Gardner's Socio-educational model, the present study sought to (1) first define foreign language learning motivation…

A visitor to Japanese secondary schools in the Tokyo area with a tour group sponsored by NASSP, this writer explains what he learned after observing schools and speaking with educators and officials. He found the Japanese student generally highly motivated and well-disciplined. (Editor)

In spite of long-standing political tensions between Japan and the People's Republic of China, Japanese remains a highly popular language to learn in Hong Kong. This is evidenced by the growth in number of Japanese-related courses and programmes offered at schools and universities in the Special Administrative Region. Although Japan is a dominant…

This study surveys recent literature on education in Japan to determine what elements of the Japanese educational system could be incorporated into America's pedagogical system. There are four sections with the following titles: (1) What comparisons are being made between Japanese and American students in achievement and IQ tests scores? (2) How…

Discusses the need to initiate intrinsic motivation in Japanese students in online higher education. Presents an overview of the online education process with constructivist learning theory, including various learning interactions; and describes sub-types of personal intrinsic motivation including challenge, fantasy, and curiosity. (Contains 62…

Fourth-grade control students were given a multiple-choice problem involving conservation of weight. Experimental group subjects were given a fictitious choice response distribution with conflicting reasons. Curiosity for confirmation, progress in generalizing the principle of conservation, and positive correlation between curiosity and progress…

This paper reports on an exploratory cross-cultural study of the attitudes of first and second grade students toward the use of microcomputers in instruction. Questionnaire responses were compared among three groups: Japanese students in Tokyo, Japan; American students in Sanger, Texas; and Japanese students attending a special school for Japanese…

Reports the findings of a comparative study of elementary students in the United States, Japan, Taiwan, and mainland China. Contrasts student attitude and behavior, intelligence, and achievement levels, and teacher and parent attitudes. Focuses on the factors behind the relative slowness of American children to acquire mathematics skills. (KH)

Although there is extensive research into what constitutes second language learning motivation and how it works, most of the existing work is carried out in ESL environments, and is mainly concerned with motivation to communicate using the target language. However, in EFL environments such as Japan, students have quite limited contact with target…

This paper discusses how to motivate unsuccessful English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) learners in Japanese high schools. The first section examines the current status of teaching ESL to Japanese high school students. The second section focuses on how to motivate unsuccessful ESL learners (employing motivational strategies, creating a comfortable…

Japanese university students had the choice of pair taping--a fluency practice in which learners record themselves speaking freely in pairs--for an equivalent amount of time as their once a week English class. Results from self reports showed that learners who chose pair taping (73) over remaining in class (n=28) reported increases in ease of…

Using Japanese with Japanese students of English as a second language is not only unnecessary, but could hinder the learning of English. Students must be motivated to use a language in order to learn it well, and the classroom in which the native language is spoken will not foster English language learning any more than Japanese spoken in daily…