The increasing number of adult learners in higher education is a trend that has been observed in recent years. An impetus for this trend is the need for upskilling and re-skilling in order to stay relevant and employable in today's world of globalised knowledge. However, finding uninterrupted blocks of time to study in adult learners' busy…

Homework is a common instructional practice that is used to motivate students, develop students' studying skills and habits, inform parents about student learning, and increase student achievement. Homework provides an opportunity for students to revisit daily topics, and improve students' understanding of math concepts and problem-solving skills,…

This study seeks to understand the "what" and the "why" of student engagement by investigating the "aims" that students pursue through engagement (i.e., their achievement goals) and the "reasons" driving such engagement (i.e., their motivation). Self-report instruments measuring students' motivational…

The literature on the immigrant-native educational achievement gap is suggestive of a better performance of immigrant students in countries practising selective immigration policies. However, the origin of such differences has not been investigated. I considered both important observed characteristics as well as the role of unobservables in the…

The authors are a team of teachers and teacher educators who are deeply interested in helping mathematically-challenged students improve in their learning of mathematics. In Singapore, depending on their performance at the end of a nationwide Year 6 examination, students are channelled into three ability streams for Years 7 to 10: Express (60%),…

This paper reports a pilot study on the development and validation of the bilingual (Chinese and English) "Motivation and Attitudes for Language Learning Inventory" (MALLI). MALLI is designed to measure secondary school students' learning motivations, and several other factors in the learning of both Chinese and English languages. We…

Surveyed 542 undergraduates concerning their caffeine consumption. Found that subjects consumed less caffeine than average caffeine-drinking population. Coffee was main beverage used. Subjects reported drinking more caffeine when preparing for examinations. Suggests that caffeine may have some beneficial effects on learning. (Author/NB)

Describes a Singapore principal's turnaround strategy to improve his secondary students' academic performance and study habits. Principal Tong Pak Goh won students back from McDonald's and other distractions by creating an atmosphere of care and casual comfort, holding afterschool tutoring sessions for problem and latchkey kids, and counseling…

The psychometric properties of the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory-High School (LASSI-HS) was studied with 139 female high school students from Singapore. Results indicate that the LASSI-HS yields reliable measures of learning and study behaviors, but the underlying structure of the measure suggested in its manual was not supported. (SLD)

Examines the learning and study strategies of 9th grade female students from Singapore. Compares the resulting profiles to those of U.S. students of similar age and cross-ability levels as well as comparing their expressed views on the nature of knowledge. Discusses the findings in detail. (CMK)