The need for alternative education programs that work is paramount in light of the nation's public education crisis. The problem is that alternative education programs fail to adequately address the issues that At-Risk students bring to, and face in, the alternative and/or the traditional classroom. This study utilized a qualitative and a…

This report describes a program designed to increase students' on-task behavior. The students in the sample population consisted of kindergarten, first, and fifth graders. These classrooms are located in a community in northern Illinois. The problem of student behavior adversely affecting on-task behavior was well documented through a review of…

With the ever evolving environment of the classroom setting the role of the teacher is constantly being challenged and the responsibilities remain the same. Teachers are required to create a safe learning environment for student learning. Although this is an overwhelming responsibility it is not impossible. This study explored teachers'…

This action research project report summarizes the methods used to reduce boredom and frustration and increase students' academic motivation in three mixed-ability classrooms. This action research project included 21 third grade students, 23 fifth grade students, and 28 eighth grade students (n=72) during the dates of September 10, 2007, through…

The Motivations for Reading Questionnaire (MRQ) contains 54 items that are posited to tap 11 dimensions of reading motivation. The structural validity of the MRQ was investigated with 2 samples: (a) 328 students in Grades 3-5 from 2 suburban mid-Atlantic elementary schools and (b) 735 students in Grades 3-5 in 2 suburban southwestern elementary…

In 2001, the U.S. Department of Education and the Ministry of Education in China entered into a bilateral partnership to develop a technology-driven approach to foreign language learning that integrated gaming, immersion, voice recognition, problem-based learning tasks, and other features that made it a significant research and development pilot…

The students in our classes are widely discrepant in their motivations and aspirations. Some are eager to learn and succeed; some seem to want nothing to do with the educational system or its benefits. Academically able students may fail to reach their full academic potential for a variety of reasons, and home, school, social, and cultural factors…

This research examined the multidimensionality of achievement goals and their hierarchical relations in a sample of 939 students from 6 high schools in New South Wales, Australia. The first year of the study these students completed a survey instrument on school motivation, the Inventory of School Motivation. There will be follow-up for 3 years.…

This research project was conducted at a high school in a suburban metropolitan area in the Midwest from August 21, 2006 through October 26, 2006. The purpose of the research was to improve student achievement and motivation through the posting and communicating of daily learning objectives. The research participants included 150 students and five…

A study examined teachers' perceptions and students' literacy motivations to assist teachers in bolstering students' self-determination and literacy competence. The theoretical framework was derived from E. L. Deci's self-determination theory which focuses on individuals' opportunities to make choices or decisions about how to behave or think as…

Upon request from parents, students were released from a rural Rocky Mountains high school to take a class in religious education where they were encouraged to read at least one chapter of scripture each day. In addition to daily reading, students were encouraged to ponder what they read and apply it to their daily lives. According to the…

A study was conducted to determine why applicants to the DeKalb Area Vocational-Technical School did not show up for admissions testing and enrollment or did not complete programs which they began. The study identified four groups of non-completers: "no shows" (i.e., applicants who failed to report for admissions testing); "test outs" (i.e.,…

Describes the Motivation to Read Profile (MRP), which assesses children's self-concepts as readers and the value they see in reading. Discusses its development and offers suggestions for its use with elementary students. Includes the MRP. (SR)

The Motivation to Read Profile (MRP) is a public-domain instrument designed to provide teachers with an efficient and reliable way to assess reading motivation qualitatively and quantitatively by evaluating students' self-concept as readers and the value they place on reading. The MRP consists of two basic instruments: the Reading Survey (a…

Two pilot schools for general secondary education in Enschede (The Netherlands) are taking part in the Technology Enriched Schools Project. One of the research questions is the valuation by the students of the use of computers in education. The valuation is influenced by factors which deal with the perception of the student; the use of computers…