In the context of instructional design and self-regulated learning research, the notion of mental effort allocation, monitoring, and control has gained increasing attention. Bringing together a cognitive perspective, focusing on Cognitive Load Theory, and a motivational perspective, merging central accounts from Situated Expectancy Value Theory…

A systematic review was conducted to identify emergent trends in the assessment of secondary school climate. Comparisons of assessments published in the past 6 years (2016-2021) and those published prior to 2016 (total N = 46) revealed recent shifts related to conceptualization, validity, accessibility, and recommendations for improving school…

This review presents a reasoned synthesis of whole-school interventions seeking to improve the overall school environment by fostering active student participation (ASP) in school activities and decision-making processes. The aims are to describe the selected programs, assess their methodological quality, and analyze the activities soliciting ASP.…

In this review, we examine studies of writing self-efficacy conducted with postsecondary students published between 1984 and 2021. We aimed to inventory the methodological choices, writing contexts, and types of pedagogies explored in studies of writing self-efficacy with postsecondary students, and summarize the practical implications noted…

Understanding the role of prior knowledge in human learning is essential for predicting, improving, and explaining competence acquisition. However, the size and breadth of this field make it difficult for researchers to glean a comprehensive overview. Hence, we conducted a bibliometric analysis of 13,507 relevant studies published between 1980 and…

Various theories from the field of educational psychology, including high expectation theory (HET) and self-determination theory (SDT), focus on the classroom conditions which facilitate students' motivation, learning, and well-being. In the current paper, we aimed to breech the theoretical division between HET and SDT through a synthesis of both…

Students' achievement-related self-beliefs, as manifest in values, goal orientations, perceived efficacy, mindsets, and a sense of autonomy and self-determination, have been the centerpiece of motivation theories that describe learning and development. The premise of the current special issue is that these intrapersonal beliefs tell us only half…

The desire to belong has been conceptualized by motivational psychologists as a fundamental human motive (need to belong), which means that it can guide thoughts, feelings, and behavior. Indeed, a growing literature has documented that students who perceive a sense of belonging in school generally fare well--academically, socially, and…

Personalized education--the systematic adaptation of instruction to individual learners--has been a long-striven goal. We review research on personalized education that has been conducted in the laboratory, in the classroom, and in digital learning environments. Across all learning environments, we find that personalization is most successful when…

Embodied learning environments have a substantial share in teaching interventions and research for enhancing learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. In these learning environments, students' bodily experiences are an essential part of the learning activities and hence, of the learning. In this systematic…

This review aims to clarify four perennial issues surrounding the concept of curiosity: its nature, conceptual distinction from situational interest, types, and educational implications. First, we argue that humans have evolved to be deeply curious to adapt to a world of uncertainty. Curiosity can be likened to an appetite for knowledge which can…

In relation to the growing attention to the quality of physical space in early childhood education and care (ECEC), the present scoping review aims to define the state of the art regarding the relationship between the physical environment of ECEC services and the psychological development of children. After 50 years of research in this field, this…

Belonging is an essential aspect of psychological functioning. Schools offer unique opportunities to improve belonging for school-aged children. Research on school belonging, however, has been fragmented and diluted by inconsistency in the use of terminology. To resolve some of these inconsistencies, the current study uses meta-analysis of…

Chinese education is controversial: it is not only lauded for Chinese students' high test achievements but also criticized for curbing students' deep learning and development into well-rounded individuals. In the current paper, we propose that self-determination theory (SDT) serves as a useful framework for anatomizing Chinese educational ecology,…

School climate has been widely examined through both empirical and theoretical means. However, there is little conceptual consensus underlying the landscape of this literature, offering inconsistent guidance for research examining this important construct. In order to best assist the efforts of developing causal models that describe how school…