This study examines the role experiential education, in the form of internships, plays in the professional development of Hospitality and Tourism Management students. Through an appraisal of the literature, it outlines the many benefits available to direct and indirect stakeholders through the facilitation of a structured, work based learning experience. In particular, it analyses the internship through an evaluation of job design by applying both Hackman and Oldham’s (1975a) Job Characteristics Model (JCM) and developing a proposed intern’s version of that model. The outcomes demonstrate that dimensions of the work undertaken do contribute significantly to an individual’s satisfaction and intrinsic motivation with the proposed intern’s model offering improved R2 coefficients, over the original JCM, by using different predictive variables. The study further sub-divides the sample by examining the findings by cohort and emphasis area. This affords the opportunity to identify specific recommendations on internship design that provides maximum utility to the student participant and the facilitators of the work experience. To this end, the results offer a series of recommended job dimensions for various service industry destinations including the need for increased task significance and feedback from agents for tourism students, opportunities for an autonomous work environment for event planners, exposure to a variety of skills for lodging professionals and feedback from the job for food and beverage students. By designing internships in this way, opportunities for enriched work are created for students at the case-study university. The study also examines the role classroom education plays in underpinning the internship experience and finds that while this assists students in observing many of the topics and theories discussed in a theoretical setting, the experiential component of the learning enhances their education through the development of new skills and competencies not previously taught. Overall, this study offers a unique contribution to the existing body of knowledge on experiential education and its impact on worker/job satisfaction and intrinsic motivation.

<p>The salience, prevalence, and consequences of feedback students receive on their academic performance have led to widespread interest in assessment outcomes. Despite the frequency and high stakes of performance feedback, a clear picture of how it influences students' academic motivation has failed to emerge. The overarching goal of this dissertation study was to better understand the effect of performance feedback on secondary school students' academic motivation following a high-stakes assessment. In particular, this study had three main aims: (1) begin disentangling the influence of performance feedback from its valence on students' self-efficacy, goal orientations, and intrinsic motivation, (2) explore how the stage of an assessment event and performance feedback interact to influence these motivation constructs, and (3) determine whether the influence of performance feedback on academic motivation depends on the evaluation dimension of the classroom goal structure.</p><p> To investigate these topical questions, the current study implemented a cluster-randomized experimental design. One hundred sixty-one seventh through ninth grade students in 13 math or science classes from a single, all-female secondary school were randomly assigned by their class to one of the following four feedback conditions: (1) numeric grades, (2) evaluative comments, (3) numeric grades accompanied by evaluative comments, and (4) no feedback. Students' academic motivation was then measured on three occasions to capture its fluctuations during an assessment event: at baseline, immediately after teachers announced what form of feedback students would receive (i.e., anticipation stage), and immediately after students received their assigned form of feedback (i.e., receipt stage). </p><p> Results revealed a series of complex interactions between the stage of feedback (i.e., anticipation vs. receipt) and its form (i.e., grades, comments, grades plus comments, or no feedback). Notably, only students in the grades plus comments condition experienced a decline in self-efficacy from anticipation to receipt of this feedback. However, these students also reported an increase in their mastery goal orientation and intrinsic motivation upon the receipt of grades accompanied by comments. Students in the comments condition experienced a similar increase in intrinsic motivation. Finally, students in the no feedback and comments conditions also reported a greater performance-approach goal orientation when they received performance feedback (or lack thereof) compared to when they anticipated it. No evidence was found to support the hypothesis that students' perceptions of the evaluation dimension of their classroom goal structure moderated these interaction effects. Theoretical, methodological, and practical implications of these findings are discussed along with limitations and recommendations for future research.</p> / Dissertation

Self-Directed Work Teams (SDWT) are strategic organization designs based on the belief that the time required to make good decisions decreases when employees are empowered to tap their tacit job knowledge. Because this strategy requires employees to think differently about the way they perform their jobs, the supervisor plays a critical role in SDWT implementations. If leaders fail to adequately manage the challenges associated with the transition to the SDWT structure, employee commitment towards the team and organization at large may suffer, putting the realization of SDWT benefits at risk. To better understand this complicated process, this research describes a field study observation designed to explore the relationship between the constructs of Self-Determination Theory (autonomy, competence, relatedness) with employee affective commitment towards a SDWT transition. Additionally, this research evaluates the mediating role leadership influence tactics has on the relationship between Self-Determination Theory and employee affective commitment towards a SDWT transition.

No description available.

The purpose of the thesis is to examine how adult immigrants in Romania describe the learning strategies that have helped them integrate in the new culture. To be able to draw conclusions about migrants' learning strategies and what has made them work, I have looked at the experience of five immigrants who speak Romanian and who have successfully integrated in the Romanian culture. The study employs a qualitative methodology, information has been collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis and a framework approach to data analysis. The key findings of the thesis are that integration through education, specifically through language learning, takes place more effectively if migrants are driven by intrinsic goals or if they internalize the extrinsic rewards that they expect upon completion of their goals. These findings can be put into practice to form better strategies and actions steps in organizational programs that aim at integrating migrants. They can also be brought to the knowledge of migrants looking to successfully integrate, to make them aware of how their choices and goals, even those apparently unrelated, can impact the outcome of their integration efforts.

Using Cognitive Evaluation Theory, this research evaluated the impact non-monetary extrinsic incentives in the form of department t-shirts had on the intrinsic motivation of Virginia career and volunteer firefighters. Intrinsic motivation was measured using the Work Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation Scale (WEIMS). The survey was administered to a randomly selected sample of firefighters. Data was analyzed using multiple regression analysis. Results suggested that the department t-shirt did not have a statistically significant impact on intrinsic motivation of both career and volunteer firefighters. Additionally, this study suggested that volunteer firefighters did not perceive salary as an inequitable reward. This was exhibited by the higher levels of intrinsic motivation by volunteer firefighters than career firefighters. This was also found in the comparisons of volunteer firefighters from combination and volunteer fire departments. Finally, delays in the distribution of non-monetary extrinsic incentives did not have an impact on intrinsic motivation of both career and volunteer firefighters.

Incidents of computer abuse, proprietary information leaks and other security lapses have been on the increase. Most often, such security lapses are attributed to internal employees in organizations subverting established organizational IS security policy. As employee compliance with IS security policy is the key to escalating IS security breaches, understanding employee motivation for following IS security policy is critical. In addition to several types of extrinsic motives noted in prior studies, including sanctions, rewards, and social pressures, this study adds that an important contributing intrinsic factor is empowerment. Per Thomas and Velthouse’s (1990) intrinsic motivation model, empowerment is the positive feelings derived from IS security task assessments. Through survey data collected from 289 participants, the study assesses how dimensions of psychological empowerment (i.e., competence, meaning, impact, and choice) as derived from IS security task may impact the IS security performance of the participants, measured by their compliance with IS security policy. The study demonstrates that the competence and meaning dimensions of psychological empowerment have a positive impact on participants’ IS security policy compliance intention, while impact has a marginal negative influence on compliance. Furthermore, dimensions of psychological empowerment can be predicted by structural empowerment facets, particularly IS security education, training, and awareness (SETA), access to IS security strategy and goals, and participation in IS security decision-making. In addition, the competence and meaning dimensions of psychological empowerment may act as mediators for the relations between structural empowerment and participants’ IS security policy compliance. Theoretical contributions, managerial implications, and directions for future research of this study will be discussed.

This thesis deals with experiencing flow and intrinsic motivation with pupils of Primary Art School. The aim of this research was to find out the following: to what extent are pupils of Primary Art School intrinsic motivated towards music, to what extent the pupils experience flow while playing musical instrument and what psychological aspects are related to this type of experience. The target group of respondents represented pupils from musical branch at the age from 11 to 18 (N = 108). The data were obtained from three questionnaires (Flow, Teacher and Motivation Questionnaire). The first two questionnaires were created for the purpose of this thesis. Motivation questionnaire was translated from English version of SIMS questionnaire (The Situational Motivation Scale). The research proved that pupils of Primary Art Schoul think, that they experience flow quite often. Most of the observed variables are significantly related to flow, on the other hand the results showed less close relationship as for the flow. The exception was a relationship between flow and intrinsic motivation where closer connection was established. It was not proved that flow experience of pupils of Primary Art School relates to play in any musical groups, range of homework, length of playing musical instruments or a gender of...

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1986 T35 / Master of Science / Kinesiology

<p><i>Background.</i> Regular physical activity is beneficial for older adults in order to protect against age related injuries and illnesses, and to maintain their independence and quality of life. However, older adults are the least likely age group to meet the physical activity guidelines set forth by the American College of Sports Medicine and World Health Organization. According to the self-determination theory framework, health practitioners and exercise instructors should aim to create and deliver interventions in a way that fosters an autonomy-supportive health care climate (e.g., taking the perspectives of patients, providing choices) to facilitate satisfaction of the basic psychological needs and self-determined motivation. <i>Purpose</i>. The specific aims of this study were to (1) determine whether autonomy support is associated with physical activity-related need for autonomy, autonomous regulation, and physical activity behavior; and to (2) determine whether autonomy support moderates the association between physical activity-related need for autonomy and autonomous regulation. <i>Methods.</i> The design of the study was longitudinal. A total of 431 adults aged ≥ 55 years completed an online survey (Baseline – Week 0) containing self-determination theory-related predictor variables, along with past month and past week physical activity. Weekly online physical activity recall questionnaires were completed for four weeks (at Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, and Week 4). The product of coefficient <i>a</i> × <i>b</i> approach was used to test the mediation effect using multiple linear regression analysis. The Monte Carlo 95% confidence interval [95% CI] (5,000 bootstrap samples) for the mediated effects were obtained using Hayes SAS MCMED macro. <i>Results. </i>Physical activity-related need for autonomy was found to partially mediate the relationship between autonomy support and autonomous regulation, but only for those who were engaging in physical activity 2 days per week (0.0195 [0.0004, 0.0438]) and ≥ 4 days per week (0.0390 [0.0098, 0.0774]). Additionally, the physical activity-related need for autonomy and autonomous regulation were found to mediate the relationship between autonomy support and physical activity, but only for those who were previously physically active (≥ 4 days per week in the last month) and younger (e.g. aged 58 years). Autonomy support was not found to moderate the need for autonomy-autonomous regulation relationship. Physical activity-related need for competence was positively associated with autonomous regulation and physical activity behavior. <i>Conclusion.</i> In line with the self-determination theory, the current findings suggest that the facilitation of autonomy support and the subsequent fulfillment of the psychological needs; consequently, lead to an increase in autonomous regulation. Future research should consider how the need for competence plays a role in physical activity participation beyond autonomous regulation as adults age. </p>