Alexander, Schallert, and Reynolds's (2009/this issue) "what," "where," "who," and "when" framework situates different perspectives on learning in different places in this multidimensional space and by doing so helps us to better understand seemingly disparate approaches to learning. The framework is in need of a fifth, "why" dimension. The "why"…

This article is a response to "Applying Graduate Student Perceptions of Task Engagement to Enhance Learning Conditions" by Jay Caulfield (2010). Caulfield's study on graduate students' perceptions of task engagement was an important one for people who are involved in graduate level teaching. The issues of motivation can easily be…

Technology-supported education has become increasingly important and popular. Although it has long been claimed that a technology-enhanced learning environment is often more motivating than its traditional counterpart, not too many inspiring empirical studies have been carried out. In this article, the traditional approach in the motivation…

In this personal reflection, the author reviews how a conference presentation on the role of liberal arts in higher education helped him appreciate a paraphrased quote from William Wordsworth, "Others will love what we have loved, and we must teach them how." The words produced fond memories regarding his love of chemistry, and reminded…

There is a wealth of literature examining the role of motivation in second language (L2) learning but remarkably little research that has examined how teachers can foster motivation in the classroom. For this reason alone Guilloteaux and Dornyei's (2008) correlational study of the relationship between motivational strategies and student motivation…

This essay outlines the key lessons I re-learned about teaching adults when I decided to earn my private pilot license. I faced a steep learning curve and needed to conquer my fear of falling from the sky when learning required flight maneuvers. The lessons are not about adult development or learning theories or instructional techniques. The…

In this article, the author reflects on the potential benefits of e-learning. E-learning is not a single strand but is multifaceted, covering a wide range of approaches and methods. One major but general benefit is that learning with technology can be motivating. E-learning has the potential to motivate, develop confidence and self-esteem,…

Teaching upper elementary school students is a joy because they are still enthusiastic about learning and will contribute energy and invest themselves completely in worthwhile projects; will engage in higher-level challenges; work with a greater sense of future purpose; and can develop enduring habits of mind and habits of character. In this…

The provisions of the Higher Education Act (2004) have renewed interest in widening participation research. Therefore, this paper explores the development of this scholarly field, primarily in the United Kingdom, by examining major trends in the study of higher education. Political debates related to higher education, the prevailing structure of…

The author was recently asked to reflect on her "educational journey." As far as she can remember she has been hungry to learn. A friend once described her as having "hambres atrasadas," which he described as a kind of "hunger nipping at her heels." It goes back, of course, to her parents: Her father's and her early…

Does the use of rewards to motivate children to learn or to follow classroom rules run counter to fostering a true desire for mastery? This column, which consists of two separate articles, provides the opposing opinions of the authors regarding the appropriateness of giving rewards in an early childhood classroom. In "Using Rewards in the Early…

High school teacher Melissa Troise challenges students to recognize the relationships that exist between literary theories, such as Marxism, feminism, and postcolonialism, and urges students to expand their contexts for reading texts by accessing and combining theories. Troise believes theory provides students with the potential to better…

Most people have the potential, not only to learn, but to create knowledge through their passion for learning. Adult educators can serve these learners through the functions of theory, planning, research, assistance, and advocacy. (SK)

There is little question that the fundamental purpose of education--what the ancient Greeks referred to as the "telos"--is to promote student learning. For decades, both experts and the general public have agreed that any effort to improve the education system must focus squarely on optimizing student learning, motivating students to achieve, and…

The major purpose of instructional science is to prescribe optimal methods to bring about desired learning, and the purposes of this paper are twofold: (1) to encourage individuals in the discipline to think in terms of contributing to a collegial, or even competitive, building of a common knowledge base in instructional science, and (2) to…