This study explores the use and effectiveness of motivational strategies with teachers and learners of Albanian and Japanese at the Missionary Training Center (MTC) in Provo, UT. Each teacher was observed three times using a modified version of the Motivation Orientation of Language Teaching (MOLT) observation scheme that was first used by Guilloteaux & Dornyei (2008). Learners were surveyed using an instrument from that same study. Teachers were surveyed using a modified version of the instrument created by Cheng & Dornyei (2007). Data collected from these three instruments provide insight into (a) the relationship between teacher motivational practice and learner motivated behavior in this context and (b) teachers' awareness and use of motivational strategies. The significant relationship found between teacher motivational practice and learner motivated behavior indicates that teachers' use of motivational strategies does influence learner engagement in this context, similar to results from previous studies. Although teachers were observed using some motivational strategies, they underused many other strategies because they lacked confidence, forgot to use them, or did not see how the strategies support the MTC curriculum. Training teachers to use strategies within the framework of MTC principles may help increase teachers' confidence in using motivational strategies, thus improving the teachers' motivational practice.

Motivational research has recently shifted focus to include what role teachers, and the motivational strategies they use, play in the language learning classroom (Cheng & Dörnyei, 2007; Dörnyei & Csizer, 1998). Motivational research has traditionally gathered data from either teachers or students. However, researchers have recently been calling for a shift in focus from this individualistic perspective to evaluating motivation more holistically (Dörnyei, 2001a; Oxford, 2003; Ushioda, 2006). Nevertheless, few studies have included the opinions of both the students and teachers. This study has elicited the opinions of both students and teachers to find out which teaching practices both groups believe foster motivation in the foreign language classroom. The results indicate that students and teachers alike find teaching practices related to Teacher, Rapport, and Climate as the top three most motivational conceptual domains. Furthermore, only 3 conceptual domains, out of 17, were statistically different between groups: Task, Effort, and Comparison.

Colleges and universities face a critical challenge in addressing the educational needs of their academically underprepared students. With college dropout rates increasingly rising, post-secondary institutions must ensure that these students have both the knowledge and the skills necessary to succeed in higher education and beyond. The aim of this study was to investigate the learning and study strategies and skills of students participating in a university summer bridge program (SBP), which is a 6-week, high-school-to-college transition program for academically underprepared, at-risk, first-year students (as defined by the university). The relationships between SBP students' learning and study strategies and two measures of college achievement (first-year GPA and first-to-second-year persistence) were investigated using a two-phase, mixed-methods explanatory design. In Phase 1 of the study, the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) profiles of SBP students (N = 266) were examined. The LASSI, an 80-item, self-report questionnaire, is used to assess students' knowledge and use of various cognitive, motivational, and self-regulatory strategies that contribute to strategic learning. In Phase 2 of the study, semi-structured interviews were conducted to follow-up with purposefully selected SBP students (n = 4) during their sophomore year at the university. Results of the study found that selecting main ideas and test strategies (LASSI) scales were significant predictors of first-year college GPA. Motivation, as assessed by the LASSI, was a significant predictor of first-to-second-year college persistence. Interviews conducted in Phase 2 of the study expand on these findings. Implications for educational policy and practice are highlighted. / Educational Psychology

Text in Afrikaans / The main objective of this investigative study was to determine the motivational strategies of sport coaches within the South African context. The theoretical investigation indicated that the setting of goals and feedback seem to be the two most popular methods used by sport coaches to motivate their athletes. Different motivational theories, as well as the possible role of these theories within the sporting realm, were addressed. For the empirical investigation the motivational theories elucidated in the theoretical investigation, were used as point of departure . A factor analysis of the gathered data gave rise to the emergence of four motivational strategies, namely reward, winning, a cognitive approach and self-confidence. An ANOVA procedure led to the following findings: Sport coaches show meaningful differences in their accentuation of these motivational strategies based on types of sport, gender and whether they have received formal training in Sport Psychology or not. No meaningful differences were found when institutions, qualifications and experience as sport coach were considered as variables. / Psychology / M. Sc. (Psychology)

La motivation incite les apprenants à s’engager dans une activité et à persévérer dans son accomplissement afin d’atteindre un but. Dans les Systèmes Tutoriels Intelligents (STI), les études sur la motivation des apprenants possèdent trois manques importants : un manque de moyens objectifs et fiables pour évaluer cet état, un manque d’évaluation de rôles joués par les facteurs motivationnels conçus dans l’environnement d’apprentissage et un manque de stratégies d’interventions motivationnelles pour soutenir la motivation des apprenants. Dans cette thèse, nous nous intéressons à mieux comprendre l’état de la motivation des apprenant ainsi que les facteurs et stratégies motivationnels dans un environnement d’apprentissage captivant : les jeux sérieux. Dans une première étude, nous évaluons la motivation des apprenants par l’entremise d’un modèle théorique de la motivation (ARCS de Keller) et de données électro-physiologiques (la conductivité de la peau, le rythme cardiaque et l’activité cérébrale). Nous déterminons et évaluons aussi quelques situations ou stratégies favorisant la motivation dans l’environnement des jeux sérieux étudié. Dans une deuxième étude, nous développons un prototype de jeux sérieux intégrant – dans une première version – quelques éléments motivationnels issus de jeux vidéo et – dans une deuxième version – des stratégies motivationnelles d’un modèle théorique de la motivation. Nous espérons, avec une évaluation motivationnelle de notre prototype, soutenir les apprenants à atteindre des hauts niveaux de motivation, de persévérance et de performance. / Motivation encourages learners to be engaged in an activity and to persevere in its accomplishment in order to achieve a goal. In Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS), different studies of learners’ motivation have showed three major lacks: a lack of objective and reliable means to assess this state, a lack of evaluation of the roles played by motivational factors developed by learning environments, and a lack of motivational interventions to support learners’ motivation. In this thesis, we are interested in understanding the state of motivation, as well as motivational factors and strategies in an exciting learning environment: serious games. First, we carry out an empirical study to assess learners’ motivation using Keller’s ARCS psychological model combined with electro-physiological recordings, namely skin conductance, heart rate, and brain activity. We also identify and evaluate different situations and strategies that promote motivation in a serious game environment. Second, we develop a serious game which has some motivational elements (version 1) as well as different motivational strategies (version 2). Our serious game intends to support learners to rich high levels of motivation, perseverance and performance. We conduct an empirical assessment of learners’ motivation during interaction with our serious game.

La motivation incite les apprenants à s’engager dans une activité et à persévérer dans son accomplissement afin d’atteindre un but. Dans les Systèmes Tutoriels Intelligents (STI), les études sur la motivation des apprenants possèdent trois manques importants : un manque de moyens objectifs et fiables pour évaluer cet état, un manque d’évaluation de rôles joués par les facteurs motivationnels conçus dans l’environnement d’apprentissage et un manque de stratégies d’interventions motivationnelles pour soutenir la motivation des apprenants. Dans cette thèse, nous nous intéressons à mieux comprendre l’état de la motivation des apprenant ainsi que les facteurs et stratégies motivationnels dans un environnement d’apprentissage captivant : les jeux sérieux. Dans une première étude, nous évaluons la motivation des apprenants par l’entremise d’un modèle théorique de la motivation (ARCS de Keller) et de données électro-physiologiques (la conductivité de la peau, le rythme cardiaque et l’activité cérébrale). Nous déterminons et évaluons aussi quelques situations ou stratégies favorisant la motivation dans l’environnement des jeux sérieux étudié. Dans une deuxième étude, nous développons un prototype de jeux sérieux intégrant – dans une première version – quelques éléments motivationnels issus de jeux vidéo et – dans une deuxième version – des stratégies motivationnelles d’un modèle théorique de la motivation. Nous espérons, avec une évaluation motivationnelle de notre prototype, soutenir les apprenants à atteindre des hauts niveaux de motivation, de persévérance et de performance. / Motivation encourages learners to be engaged in an activity and to persevere in its accomplishment in order to achieve a goal. In Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS), different studies of learners’ motivation have showed three major lacks: a lack of objective and reliable means to assess this state, a lack of evaluation of the roles played by motivational factors developed by learning environments, and a lack of motivational interventions to support learners’ motivation. In this thesis, we are interested in understanding the state of motivation, as well as motivational factors and strategies in an exciting learning environment: serious games. First, we carry out an empirical study to assess learners’ motivation using Keller’s ARCS psychological model combined with electro-physiological recordings, namely skin conductance, heart rate, and brain activity. We also identify and evaluate different situations and strategies that promote motivation in a serious game environment. Second, we develop a serious game which has some motivational elements (version 1) as well as different motivational strategies (version 2). Our serious game intends to support learners to rich high levels of motivation, perseverance and performance. We conduct an empirical assessment of learners’ motivation during interaction with our serious game.

Text in Afrikaans / The main objective of this investigative study was to determine the motivational strategies of sport coaches within the South African context. The theoretical investigation indicated that the setting of goals and feedback seem to be the two most popular methods used by sport coaches to motivate their athletes. Different motivational theories, as well as the possible role of these theories within the sporting realm, were addressed. For the empirical investigation the motivational theories elucidated in the theoretical investigation, were used as point of departure . A factor analysis of the gathered data gave rise to the emergence of four motivational strategies, namely reward, winning, a cognitive approach and self-confidence. An ANOVA procedure led to the following findings: Sport coaches show meaningful differences in their accentuation of these motivational strategies based on types of sport, gender and whether they have received formal training in Sport Psychology or not. No meaningful differences were found when institutions, qualifications and experience as sport coach were considered as variables. / Psychology / M. Sc. (Psychology)

This study investigates whether there is a relationship between student motivation and Focus on Form (FonF) frequency in English language teaching (ELT), with a focus on Swedish upper secondary school. The goal is to identify potential patterns of inefficiency in ELT that may need remediation, and to investigate potential benefits of promoting student motivation in ELT. The theoretical framework encompasses second language acquisition (SLA), FonF, ELT, corrective feedback and student motivation, including theories regarding intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Previous research includes findings regarding reactive and pre-emptive FonF, as well as motivational strategies. The applied methods include a questionnaire for self-evaluation regarding the students’ motivation in regard to English learning, and structured classroom observations. Three groups of students partook in the study: two groups attending an academic upper secondary school program, and one group attending a vocational upper secondary school program. One lesson á 55 minutes per group was observed. The results indicate that pre-emptive FonF occurs more frequently in groups with high intrinsic motivation, suggesting a potential relationship.

This study investigated the connection between teacher use of motivational strategies and observable learner motivated behavior in an adult Intensive English Program (IEP) in the United States. The question of whether teachers would find value in being specifically trained in the use of motivational strategies as part of teacher educations programs was examined. Eight teachers and 117 students were observed over the course of 24 classes using a classroom observation instrument, the motivation orientation of language teaching (MOLT), originally developed by Guilloteaux and Dörnyei (2008) and modified by the current researchers. The MOLT observation scheme allowed for real-time coding of observable learner motivated behaviors and teacher motivational behaviors based on Dörnyei's (2001) motivational strategy framework for foreign language classrooms. Postlesson teacher evaluations completed by both the observer and the teacher formed part of the measure of teacher motivational practice. Additionally, teachers attended up to two training sessions, responded to postlesson interview questions and completed a feedback survey. The results validate the previous findings that teacher motivational practice is strongly related to learner motivated behavior. Additionally, results show that teachers find value in motivational strategy training.

This thesis aimed to investigate the perception of secondary school students regarding English teachers’ motivational strategies. The investigation focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of these strategies, the frequency of their implementation, and the disjunction between students’ preferred motivational approaches and their perception of teachers’ practices. A digital survey was distributed to 46 students from a suburban school near Stockholm. To analyze the data collection, descriptive statistics and, Wilcoxon matched the pair tests were conducted to determine whether there is a significant difference between paired students’ preferences of motivational strategies and their perception of English teachers’ use of these strategies. Results indicated that students assign positive ratings to most motivational strategies. Moreover, students consistently rated their English teachers’ motivational strategy use quite highly, with a low standard deviation, reflecting that student participants shared similar opinions. At times, the Wilcoxon matched-pair test exhibits a statistically significant difference between students’ preferred motivational strategies and their perception of teachers’ practices. Despite the teachers’ high utilization of motivational strategies, students’ expectations appear to be higher.