It is argued that language learning ought to be interactive. The traditional language classroom provides a favourable interactive situation for language learners. By contrast, the distance education mode is limited in some ways regarding language learning. Necessarily, distance education involves, primarily, self-learning. Face-to-face learning…

Perfectionist students are not satisfied with merely doing well or even with doing better than their peers. They are satisfied only if they have done a job perfectly. Problems associated with forms of perfectionism that focus on seeking success are relatively minor, but problems associated with forms of perfectionism that focus on avoiding failure…

This practicum project implemented a program designed to improve the motivation to learn among fourth- and fifth-graders in a fast growing, industrial community surrounded by prosperous farms in northern Illinois. The problem of low motivation was documented by systematic classroom observations, teacher interviews, and student surveys. Analysis of…

Perfectionist students are not satisfied with merely doing well or even with doing better than their peers. They are satisfied only if they have done a job perfectly. Problems associated with forms of perfectionism that focus on seeking success are relatively minor, but problems associated with forms of perfectionism that focus on avoiding failure…

Not all children can or should be straight-A students, as everyone differs in their abilities and interests, but all children have the potential to learn and to personally succeed in school. This guide describes a step-by-step program for intervening with students who are underachievers and for promoting student success. The guide provides…

A survey of educational activities of adults in the United States was a component of the 1991 National Household Education Survey, a telephone survey of 12,568 adults. This survey found that 32 percent of adults, defined as persons aged 17 and over, were enrolled in a part-time educational activity over a 12-month period in 1990-91. Eleven percent…

Current educational theory and practice clearly show that project-based instruction has the potential to enhance learning. Preliminary findings on one type of project-based learning in which students take on the role of hypermedia designers support this claim. This study examined the effect of being hypermedia designers on fourth-graders'…

This study examined the relative importance of curricular, classroom, and out-of-class experiences on learning related attitudes and values of freshman college students after taking into account certain precollege characteristics of new students, including initial levels of interest in learning. Specifically, the study looked at students' formal…

The learning approaches of secondary students were studied for 495 eighth-, tenth- and twelfth-grade students in Singapore. The focus was on determining: (1) the dominant approach used by students in learning different academic subjects (English, Chinese, mathematics, and science); (2) the motive-strategy consequence in learning these different…

Ways to prepare and present lectures that hold college students' attention and involve them in the teaching-learning process are discussed. Attention is focused on linguistic, rhetorical, and psychological aspects of classroom communication; common communication problems in the classroom; and how to overcome and avoid communication problems.…

In support of the premise that a better understanding of the causes of poor student motivation may lead to the development of techniques to stop unmotivated students from dropping out of college, this paper reviews the literature on the nature of motivation among adolescents and factors influencing academic achievement. After introductory comments…

A study investigated the role of attitudes and motivation in second language learning by administering a semantic differential measure to college students studying Spanish in three different tracks (linguistic, cultural, and bilingual, or native-speaker). The student's track was determined by grades and language experience. Findings suggest that…

Distance education--adult independent study by correspondence--is provided in South Australia by the Open College of Further Education. The Open College provides mainly postsecondary continuing vocational education and technical training, often leading to certificates or diplomas. In addition, the Open College has links with institutions of higher…

Instrumentation, task content, the limited options of success or failure, methodology and assumptions are substantive issues which question the validity of conclusions made about human subjects in studies of achievement motivation and learned helplessness. A review of learned helplessness studies outlines the number and source of subjects, kinds…

Aimed at the classroom teacher directly, this do-it-yourself book describes new techniques for dealing with the challenge of turned-off students. It presents some of the theoretical background for the techniques suggested, and explains how their effects on pupil performance can be measured. It is not a cookbook which prescribes the one best way…