Understanding Older Adults Motivations and Preferences for a Medication Adherence App

As the percentage of older adults with hypertension continues to increase, medication adherence remains low. However, medication adherence can potentially be improved through the use of medication reminder apps. Medication reminder apps contain numerous features that enable older adults to remember to take their medication, such as providing alerts to take their medication, reminding them when to refill their prescription, and more. Despite being aware of these apps, many older adults lack the motivation needed to use them continuously. We recruited 9 participants (60 years or older) who currently take medication for a chronic condition. Using a mixed-methods approach, we gathered quantitative survey data using the TechSAge Demographic Background, Motivation, and Behavior Change Technique Questionnaires). Qualitative data were gathered through a semi-structured interview that asked questions about general motivations and preferences in addition to engaging participants in co-designing a medication adherence app. Results from the interview were analyzed through a thematic analysis that identified comprehension and preferences of older adults in medication reminder app usage. We tested five different intrinsic motivation factors, and results indicate older adults are most motivated intrinsically due to perceived choice, perceived competence, value/usefulness, effort/importance, and pressure/tension. We also tested five factors of extrinsic motivation, and results indicate older adults are most motivated extrinsically due to introjected regulation, reward-driven, external regulation, compliance, and identification. These data provide insights to guide the design of medication reminder apps to support older adults in the self-management of their chronic conditions.

The Influence of Autonomy-Supportive Teaching on EFL Students’ Classroom Autonomy: An Experimental Intervention

Based on the framework of self-determination theory (SDT), this two-wave longitudinal empirical investigation examined the actual practicality of certain strategies that have been theoretically acknowledged as having potential positive effect on English as a foreign language (EFL) learner’s autonomy. Strategies targeting learners’ self-determined learning in the classroom in terms of satisfying learner basic psychological needs (BPNs) of autonomy, competence, and relatedness as well as SDT key concepts, such as learner sense of choice, intrinsic motivation, control over learning, goals and needs, and metacognitive skills, were implemented in a treatment group for 12weeks. A classroom observation was used to evaluate teachers’ autonomy-supportive teaching and a student self-report measure, and an observation were used to assess learners’ autonomy. The findings derived out from analyses of variance, covariance and a hierarchical regression revealed that the experimental intervention led to statistically significant increased EFL autonomy for learners in the experimental group. Learner perceived choice, autonomy support, competence, and intrinsic motivation mediated the relationship between teacher autonomy-supportive teaching and learner autonomy; with perceived choice being the strongest predictor of learner autonomy. These findings acknowledge the vital role of teacher autonomy-supportive teaching in promoting EFL learner autonomy and recommend that, beside satisfying their BPNs, students should always be granted a larger space of freedom of choice, more control over learning, and more involvement in decision-making process.

Exploring the Motivation of Pupils towards the Implementation of QR Codes in Pronunciation Learning

The implementation of Quick Response (QR) codes in education has become increasingly popular. Previous studies proved that it can increase the motivation of pupils in learning. Hence, this research investigates the difference of pupils’ motivation levels in learning pronunciation after the implementation of QR codes. We examine the motivation of pupils in terms of four aspects: interest, competence, perceived choice and sense of belonging. Accordingly, we propose a QR code model, which is linked to Google Forms that contain audio recordings for pronunciation practice. With the proposed QR code activity, the pupils can record their versions of audio recordings of pronunciation and submit to their teacher for feedback. The participants are 90 year 4 pupils from a sub-urban Chinese primary school in Johor. We employ a pre-experimental research design in this research. We collect our data by using 2 research instruments: survey questionnaires and observation checklist. We administer the survey questionnaires before and after the implementation of QR codes to find out the changes in the motivation of pupils. We also utilise an observation checklist to examine the attitude of the participants during the implementation of QR codes in pronunciation learning. The findings of this research reveal a significant change in the pupils’ motivation towards the implementation of QR codes in pronunciation learning. Specifically, we find an increment of motivation in learning pronunciation as the pupils show interests in learning. Received: 6 October 2020 / Accepted: 12 December 2020 / Published: 17 January 2021

Easy Task and Choice: Motivational Interventions Facilitate Motor Skill Learning in Children

Expectancies for success and autonomy support have been shown to facilitate motor learning and enhance motor performance. The purpose of the study was to examine whether we replicated (a) enhanced expectancies and autonomy support intervention enhanced motor skill learning in children, and (b) identified the underlying psychological mechanism. Sixty children kicked soccer balls with their dominant leg to a squared area target. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the four groups: enhanced expectancies and autonomy support (EE/AS), enhanced expectancies (EE), autonomy support (AS), or control (CON) groups. Participants learning the skill were or were not provided enhanced expectation instructions by making the task success easier and provided an opportunity to choose one of the three colored balls during their practice. Two days later, they performed retention and transfer tests. Results indicated that the EE/AS group had the highest scores, with main effects of autonomy support being significant and enhanced expectancies being marginally significant for the retention test and significant for the transfer test. The EE/AS group had the highest self-efficacy and perceived choice scores. Therefore, having high expectancies for success and being autonomous were important ingredients for facilitating motor skill learning in children.

Conversation Technology With Micro-Learning: The Impact of Chatbot-Based Learning on Students’ Learning Motivation and Performance

This study investigated the impact of a chatbot-based micro-learning system on students’ learning motivation and performance. A quasi-experiment was conducted with 99 first-year students taking part in a basic computer course on number system conversion. The students were assigned to a traditional learning group or a chatbot-based micro-learning group. After the experiment, both groups achieved a comparable performance, suggesting that students are sufficiently competent to learn independently in the chatbot-based learning environment without the need for continuous face-to-face delivery. Moreover, students in the chatbot learning group attained significantly higher intrinsic motivation than the traditional learning group with perceived choice and perceived value as core predictors of intrinsic motivation. Further analysis with the Johnson-Neyman procedure revealed differences on interaction between the perceived choice and the learning environments. For students with a high initial perceived choice (>=5.1), chatbot-based learning further enhances their post choice motivation whereas for students with a low initial perceived choice (<=3.0), the traditional classroom is more suitable to enhance their post choice motivation. The implications of the findings can help instructors to incorporate chatbot-based learning in the classroom.

Comparison of the Effects of Sports Education and Direct Teaching Models on the Attitude and Cognitive Domain Level of Undergraduate Students

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of the sports education model and the direct teaching model used in badminton courses on the attitudes of undergraduate students towards the course and its permanence on cognitive domain skills. The study group consisted of a total of 45 undergraduate students, 24 of whom were experimental groups and 21 were control groups. In the study, for collection of data, the &ldquo;Intrinsic Motivation Inventory&rdquo; which developed by Ryan (2000), adapted to Turkish by &Ccedil;alışkur after being tested for validity and reliability (&Ccedil;alışkur &amp; Demirhan, 2013) and the &ldquo;Badminton Cognitive Domain Information Form&rdquo; which was prepared by the course instructor were used. Descriptive statistical analysis was used for data analysis of attitudes of groups after application, but, bacause of the lack of a normal distribution, the &ldquo;Mann Whitney U&rdquo; test was used for the significance of the difference between the cognitive domain and the permanence of learning, As a result; significant differences were determined between the students&rsquo; interest/enjoyment aspect and the permanence of cognitive learning, whereas significant differences were not detected in the aspects of perceived competence, value/benefit, effort/importance, job perception/perceived choice and pressure/tension.

Caregiving Choice and Caregiver-Receiver Relation: Effects on Psychological Well-being of Family Caregivers in Canada

ABSTRACTThe psychological well-being of family caregivers is influenced by their relations with care receivers, and whether they have choice in becoming a caregiver. Limited study has explored the interaction effect of caregiver-receiver relations and caregiving choice on caregivers’ psychological well-being. This study examines whether the caregiver’s perceived choice moderates the association between caregiver-receiver relation and psychological well-being. Using population-based data from the 2012 Canada General Social Survey – Caregiving and Care Receiving (n = 5,285), this study applies regression and ANCOVA analyses. Results show family caregivers for spouses and children report significantly worse psychological well-being, whereas having choice to become a caregiver is associated with better psychological well-being. There was a significant moderation effect of caregiving choice on the association between caregiver-receiver relation and psychological well-being. Findings suggest that more services should be targeted for family caregivers without choice for caregiving as well as those who provide care for their children.

Under What Conditions Does Prosocial Spending Promote Happiness?

Under what conditions does prosocial spending promote happiness? In a series of appropriately powered and pre-registered experiments, the present research revisited the role of impact, social connection, and perceived choice in maximizing the emotional benefits of spending money on others. In two exploratory studies, we found that happy (vs. less happy) prosocial spending experiences were marked by higher levels of impact, social connection and perceived choice (Study 1a and 1b). Consistent with these initial findings, three pre-registered studies confirmed that spending money on others was particularly rewarding when people were able to see the difference their generosity made (Study 2); when they felt a sense of social connection to the person or cause they were helping (Study 3); and when they felt that the decision to help was freely chosen (Study 4). Together, our findings corroborate previous research on impact, social connection and perceived choice, and highlight the importance of considering these key variables when evaluating old and new evidence on the emotional benefits of prosocial spending. In addition, our findings suggest that charitable organizations and policymakers should review their current solicitation strategies and pay more attention to people’s sense of impact, connection and choice when seeking charitable donations.