Studies the effects of the Protestant work ethic and performance feedback on intrinsic motivation in a sample of Taiwanese university students. Divides subjects into three groups according to work ethic measurement: high, intermediate, and low. Suggests students with a low work ethic exert more effort when challenged. (NL)

Shows how heterogeneous the theoretical reconstruction of intrinsic motivation is in both empirical pedagogics and pedagogical psychology, which research questions are being posed, and to what kinds of phenomena the respective conceptual variants are applicable. A critical-comparative analysis reveals that there are differences between the…

Argues that unethical behavior is caused by a corruption of the construal process and is driven by a desire for personal gain and results from an erroneous conclusion that an unethical action is morally acceptable. Contrasts this argument to the constructivist theory of unethical behavior as a moral judgment/behavior breakdown. (CMK)

Constructivists view thinking and learning differently from other learning theorists: they believe that learners do not acquire knowledge that is transmitted to them; rather, learners construct knowledge through intellectual activity. Sharp contrasts exist between a "transmission" model of instruction and the constructivist perspective.…

This 6-year study examined how metacognitive strategies could enhance learning achievement and whether the use of individual learning contracts could enhance an individual's ability to become a conscientious learner. The criteria included whether students would learn by planning, controlling, monitoring learning processes, and using study skills.…

Academic delay of gratification (ADOG) refers to students' postponement of immediately available opportunities to satisfy impulses in favor of pursuing academic goals that are temporally remote but ostensibly more valuable. This important form of self-regulation was studied among college students to determine how it serves to sustain effort over…

This paper investigates the joint effects of intrinsic and extrinsic goals on college students' learning in an introductory psychology course, a biology course, and several social science courses. The study questioned whether higher levels of motivation lead to better student performance. College students were surveyed using the Intrinsic Goal…

Discusses misconceptions about constructivism by identifying related myths such as students should always be actively and reflectively constructing, manipulatives make learners active, and cooperative learning is constructivist. One central goal of constructivism should be that students become autonomous and self-motivated in their learning.…

Correlates of help-seeking by college students were examined in 3 studies involving a total of 1,539 students. Evidence from all three studies supports the view that help-seeking in college is an achievement-related, rather than a dependent, behavior. Active learners were more likely to seek help when needed. (SLD)

Examines skills and understandings that preservice teachers need to create caring classroom communities, noting the supportive conditions they need, both as student teachers and as teachers, to make positive contributions to students' character development. Discusses why it is necessary to create caring environments, how to teach the various…

Examined future teachers', current teachers', and teacher educators' attitudes regarding various suggestions for improving the professional status of teaching. All groups rated extrinsic and intrinsic rewards for teaching the most important. They considered raising the standards of preservice programs and teacher certification important and…

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the subjective experience of college students in leadership. Six participants, 4 females and 2 males, from a large, southeastern university were interviewed regarding their experiences; each response was transcribed and thematically analyzed to identify a perceptual background, as well as…

A study examined motivation factors related to participants' level of development in outdoor adventure recreation pursuits. A survey was completed by 164 undergraduate recreation majors from separate, but similar, sections of a required 13-day outdoor education practicum. Respondents rated fun and enjoyment as their most important motive for…

Teacher trainees' responses to open-ended questions about career choice were used to determine their motives for selecting a career in teaching in Brunei Darussalam. The results indicated that extrinsic motives were the main determinants for trainees to choose teaching, and altruistic and intrinsic reasons were less prominent. (SM)

Examines the effect of reward on the interest and achievement of 226 Hungarian first-grade students in performing a task. Reveals that public feedback on achievement increased achievement in boys and girls, while more boys than girls lost interest in the task once feedback was withdrawn. (CMK)