Sustained Motivation Research Articles

AI and Uncertain Motivation: Hidden allies that impact EFL argumentative essays using the Toulmin Model.

This study investigates the combined impact of artificial intelligence (AI) tools and Uncertain Motivation (UM) strategies on the argumentative writing performance of Saudi EFL learners, using the Toulmin Model. Sixty Saudi EFL students participated in four writing tasks, with results demonstrating significant improvements in essay quality, particularly in clarity, structure, and depth. AI tools provided real-time feedback, enhancing students' ability to refine claims, data, backing, and counterarguments. UM strategies, employing varied and unpredictable rewards, effectively sustained student motivation and engagement. However, a temporary decline was noted early in the study, attributed to the learning curve associated with both AI and the Toulmin model. Writing argumentative essays poses significant linguistic and cognitive challenges for EFL learners. By addressing these barriers, the study highlights the potential of AI to enhance EFL writing proficiency and underscores the motivational role of UM in maintaining student engagement. The findings emphasize the importance of integrating AI and UM thoughtfully into educational practices to maximize their effectiveness. Future research is encouraged to explore AI's long-term effects, address ethical considerations, and refine the integration of AI and UM strategies across diverse learning contexts.

Implementing active learning approach to promote motivation, reduce anxiety, and shape positive attitudes: A case study of EFL learners.

Active Learning (AL) represents a transformative instructional approach that departs from traditional methods by immersing students in experiential learning activities such as problem-solving, discussions, role-plays, interactive engagement, and case studies. Despite its widely recognized potential, the effects of AL on psycho-affective constructs in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts remain underexplored. Hence, this study explored the impact of AL on EFL learners' motivation, attitudes, and anxiety in Iran. A sample of 110 pre-intermediate EFL learners from the Iran Language Institute in Borujerd City was recruited through random sampling. Following participant homogenization via the Oxford Quick Placement Test and outlier exclusion, 51 learners were randomly assigned to an experimental group (EG, n=26) receiving AL-based instruction, and a control group (CG, n=25) exposed to traditional lecture-based instruction. Over 18 one-hour sessions, conducted twice weekly, the groups underwent distinct interventions. The outcomes of independent samples t-tests revealed that AL-based instruction significantly enhanced the EFL learners' motivation, fostered more positive attitudes toward English language learning, and effectively reduced anxiety in the EG compared to the CG. The study's findings approved the pedagogical value of AL, specifically its capacity to create an engaging and emotionally supportive classroom environment that promotes learner confidence, sustained motivation, and a positive disposition toward English learning. Different stakeholders in EFL education are encouraged to integrate AL strategies into EFL curricula to improve psycho-affective outcomes.

Effect of Visual Programming Instruction on Students' Flow Experience, Programming Self‐Efficacy, and Sustained Willingness to Learn

ABSTRACTBackgroundMany studies have highlighted the positive effects of visual programming instruction (VPI) on students' learning experiences, programming self‐efficacy and flow experience. However, there is a notable gap in the research on how these factors specifically impact programming achievement and learning intentions. Our study addresses this gap by focusing on flowchart‐based programming—a relatively underexplored area in educational research. To ensure relevance to the educational context, AbilixChart and Ability Storm SK902 were specifically selected for their alignment with the curriculum of the target school, where these tools are widely utilised in both teaching and extracurricular activities. This alignment allowed for a seamless integration of these tools into regular classroom practices after the study's conclusion, ensuring continued application and maximising the study's practical impact. Furthermore, integrating educational robots enhanced student engagement and provided a practical means to evaluate the accuracy of their programming skills. By doing so, our study not only contributes to filling a gap in the literature but also has the potential to influence educational practices by demonstrating the value of incorporating flowchart‐based programming and robotics into the curriculum.ObjectivesThe present study aims to conduct an instructional experiment utilising VPI with flowchart‐based programming tools. The main objective is to investigate how these tools influence 219 high school students' flow experience, programming self‐efficacy, and sustained learning willingness.MethodsThis study employed a pre‐ and post‐test design with a single group and conducted an 11‐week instructional experiment. The students used the Abilix Chart software and the Ability Storm SK902 kit to build an intelligent car and learn about visual programming. They were tasked with independently designing programs to solve practical problems in different scenarios. Research tools included Scales of Flow Experience, Computer Programming Self‐Efficacy, Sustained Learning Willingness and Program Achievement.ResultsThe findings revealed that VPI effectively improved students' programming achievement, flow experience and programming self‐efficacy. Students with programming learning experience surpassed their inexperienced peers in willingness to engage in sustained learning. Conversely, 4.57% of the group with lower pre‐test scores and no learning experience showed more positive emotional experience than those with learning experience.ConclusionsThe results indicated that VPI positively affected programming achievement, self‐efficacy and flow experience. Regardless of prior programming experience, all students benefited from VPI. Additionally, self‐efficacy and flow experience were key factors influencing sustained learning motivation and achievement.

The RISES Model: A New Approach to Promoting Health Professionals' Motivation to Engage in Research.

A decline in the number of health professionals (HPs) engaging in clinical and healthcare research has spurred governments, educational and healthcare organisations to focus on developing strategies to promote a resurgence of clinical researchers. Based on the Expectancy-Value-Cost theory which offers a comprehensive framework to understand motivation in research, this study aimed to explore how motivations and perceived values of research evolve across different career stages, and develop a model that promotes sustained research motivation. This study employed a phenomenological qualitative research design and individual interviews to explore the experiences of 30HPs (doctors, nurses, midwives, and allied health professionals) across three career stages-early, mid, and late-at three North Queensland Public Hospitals from March 19 to April 15, 2021. A purposive sampling technique was used to select participants, and data were analysed through inductive thematic analysis. Six themes emerged, categorised into individual, organizational, and sociocultural factors. Individual: Back to Basics and Career Aspirations Influence Research Value; Organisational: Cumbersome Processes and Resource Accessibility; Sociocultural: Building Research Capacity through Connections and Supportive Relationships Enhance Motivation. These themes informed the development of the RISES model, a multi-layered framework emphasising a collaborative approach to addressing individual, organisational, and sociocultural factors to support HPs' sustained research engagement. The study provides valuable insights into the lived experiences of HPs in relation to research, highlighting the intricate interplay of factors affecting their motivation. It introduces the RISES model to encourage ongoing research motivation and suggests further research to expand on these findings and explore additional aspects of research engagement in healthcare.

Enhancing Employee Engagement through Gamified Digital Platforms: A Case Study Approach in the Technology Sector

Employee engagement is a crucial factor in organizational success, particularly in the dynamic and competitive technology sector. Traditional approaches, such as financial incentives, often fail to create sustainable intrinsic motivation, necessitating innovative solutions such as gamification. This study aims to analyze the role of gamification in enhancing employee engagement through the implementation of digital platforms in medium-sized technology companies. The research employs a case study methodology with a qualitative approach, involving in-depth interviews with 15 informants, including employees and managers, as well as user activity data analysis from the gamification platform. The findings indicate that gamification significantly improved employee engagement, with the proportion of employees exhibiting "High" engagement levels increasing from 25% to 60%, and "Very High" levels rising from 10% to 35%. Conversely, the "Very Low" category decreased from 15% to 5%. These results suggest that gamification elements such as rewards, challenges, and team collaboration fulfill employees’ psychological needs and create a more dynamic and productive work environment. This study contributes to the literature by providing insights into the effectiveness of gamification in the technology sector and offering practical recommendations for organizations to design relevant and sustainable gamification platforms. In conclusion, gamification is a promising strategy for enhancing employee engagement, provided that its elements are tailored to individual preferences and the technological readiness of the organization

Material Incentives for Innovation and Rationalization in Soviet Enterprises during 1960s to 1980s

This article addresses the issues of funding innovative activities in the USSR during the second half of the 20th century. It argues that an effective mechanism for material incentives for innovation was never established in the Soviet Union. The study demonstrates that the resources allocated for the development of invention and rationalization were used ineffectively by both ministries and agencies, as well as by public organizations. In the context of a planned economy, achieving an optimal balance of interests among stakeholders in the process of creating and utilizing inventions was virtually unattainable. Through specific examples and statistical data, it is shown that innovators gradually shifted their efforts from developing and implementing major inventions and rationalization proposals to minor improvements that could be easily adopted by enterprises, reflected in statistical reports, and for which they received modest but stable rewards. It was found that payments intended to expedite the creation and dissemination of innovations became arbitrary disbursements to managerial staff and administrative employees, who often had no direct involvement with the innovations produced. The conclusion drawn is that the funding mechanism for innovative activity in the USSR did not foster a sustainable motivation for effective inventive and rationalization efforts.

Psychological aspects of special physical training: how to strengthen motivation and confidence

The article examines the psychological aspects of special physical training, including methods of strengthening motivation and confidence among law enforcement officers and other law enforcement agencies. Modern approaches to the development of personal motivation within the framework of physical training, which is critically important for the performance of official duties, are considered. Increasing the level of physical fitness is inextricably linked to psychological factors, such as self-confidence, stress resistance, and the ability to cope with psychological stress. The focus is on effective methods of building sustainable motivation and self-control, such as setting achievable goals, using positive reinforcement, and learning through simulation of real scenarios. The role of group support and team interaction in increasing the level of confidence was also studied. It is shown that the formation of motivation and confidence is an important element of special physical training, which should provide employees with the necessary resources for successful performance of tasks in high-risk conditions. Recommendations for the development of psychological stability and self-discipline, which contribute to increasing overall efficiency and reducing risks during the performance of official duties, are additionally highlighted. Special physical training (SFP) plays a key role in achieving high sports results, maintaining the physical condition of soldiers, rescuers and other professions that require a high level of physical endurance and strength. However, in addition to the physical component, psychological aspects affecting the effectiveness of training are no less important. Motivation is one of the most important psychological factors in SFP. It determines the individual’s desire to work, overcome difficulties and achieve set goals. To strengthen motivation, it is important to form clear goals that are divided into short-term and long-term stages; use positive reinforcement and maintain feedback between effort and results; create variety in training to avoid monotony and fatigue; engage in work on mental stability, which helps to overcome psychological barriers. It should be noted that confidence in one’s own abilities is another important factor that helps to achieve high results in SFP. It develops due to a gradual increase in the level of difficulty of exercises, which allows participants to feel progress; the use of visualization methods, when an athlete or military person imagines the successful completion of tasks; support from the coach and colleagues, which creates a positive environment for growth; working with a psychologist or coach to overcome fears and anxieties that can lower confidence. Therefore, the integration of psychological methods into special physical training allows not only to increase physical performance, but also to strengthen motivation and confidence, which contributes to the achievement of set tasks at a higher level.

The 100-Days: Physical Exercise and Challenges to Assess, Maintain and Improve Physical Fitness During Lockdown.

Twenty participants (mean age 45.2 ± 12.7 years) with good baseline fitness completed strength, endurance, coordination, and flexibility exercises over 100 days, with monthly challenges. Fitness was assessed at baseline (T0), mid-program (T1), and completion (T2). Males initially showed higher BMI and mild cardiovascular risks. Flexibility improved for both genders, with females increasing from 12.5 ± 4.51 cm to 14.8 ± 6.65 cm and males from 4.4 ± 6.33 cm to 8.8 ± 10.69 cm. Males' vertical jump height increased from 20.7 ± 13.05 cm to 28.2 ± 10.49 cm. In the challenge, push-up repetitions rose for both genders, achieving excellent scores (>24 reps for females, >25 for males). Males advanced in the repeated crunch test, while females consistently excelled in the repeated squat. Weight and BMI reductions were also observed, particularly in overweight males. The 100-day training program, combined with the challenge, effectively sustained physical fitness and motivation among participants during pandemic-related restrictions. Notable strength and endurance improvements were observed across both genders, reinforcing the potential of interactive, remote training programs to promote physical health in periods of limited activity.

A role for the midbrain reticular formation in delay-based decision making.

In many real-life situations, decisions involve temporal delays between actions and their outcomes. During these intervals, waiting is an active process that requires maintaining motivation and anticipating future rewards. This study aimed to explore the role of the midbrain reticular formation (MRF) in delay-based decision-making. We recorded neural activity in the MRF while rats performed delay discounting and reward discrimination tasks, choosing between a smaller, sooner reward and a larger, later reward. Our findings reveal that MRF neurons are integral to maintaining motivation during waiting periods by encoding both the anticipated size and the discounted value of delayed rewards. Furthermore, the inactivation of the MRF led to a significant reduction in the rats' willingness to wait for delayed rewards. These results demonstrate the MRF's function in balancing the trade-offs between reward magnitude and timing, providing insight into the neural mechanisms that support sustained motivation and decision-making over time.

The Feasibility of AgileNudge+ Software to Facilitate Positive Behavioral Change: Mixed Methods Design.

In today's digital age, web-based apps have become integral to daily life, driving transformative shifts in human behavior. "AgileNudge+" (Indiana University Center for Health Innovation and Implementation Science) is a web-based solution to simplify the process of positive behavior change using nudging as an intervention. By integrating knowledge from behavioral economics with technology, AgileNudge+ organizes multiple steps, simplifies complex tasks, minimizes errors by enhancing user engagement, and provides resources for creating and testing nudge interventions. This paper aimed to outline the design process, methodologies, and usefulness of "AgileNudge+" for the development of evidence-based nudges. It used a mixed methods approach to evaluate the software's interface usability and usefulness for creating and testing nudge interventions. AgileNudge+ was developed through iterative processes integrating principles from behavioral economics and user-centered design. The content of AgileNudge+ operationalizes an Agile science-based process to efficiently design, embed, and disseminate evidence-based nudges that encourage positive behavior change without limiting choice. Using a mixed methods approach, we tested AgileNudge+ software's ability to organize and simplify the nudge intervention process, allowing a diverse range of scholars with limited knowledge of Agile science to use nudges. Usability testing assessed the tool's usefulness and interface with a sample of 18 health care professionals, each asked to interact with the software and create a nudge intervention to solve a problem within their professional project's sphere. The study was funded in August 2022, with data collection occurring from June 2023 to July 2024. As of July 2024, we have enrolled 18 participants. Quantitative results found a mean usefulness rating of AgileNudge+ of 3.83 (95% CI 3.00-4.66). Qualitative results highlighted ways to modify the language used in AgileNudge+ to be more comprehensible to a diverse user base and promoted modifications to the software that facilitate real-time assistance and prioritize time efficiency in user interactions. Feedback further supported the positive impact of gamification on participant motivation when using the software. AgileNudge+ is an effective assistive tool for simplifying the positive behavior change process using nudge interventions, with tailored content and interactions to meet users' needs and demands. Building onto the current design, future iterations of AgileNudge+ will use artificial intelligence to process large volumes of data while reducing the time and mental energy required to scan for existing cognitive biases and nudge prototypes. The software is also being upgraded to build on current gamification efforts, encouraging more sustained motivation by increasing the temporal resolution of the digital interface. These modifications stay true to the agility and user-centered aspects of AgileNudge+, emphasizing the novelty of the constantly evolving software design process.

МЕДИКО-БІОЛОГІЧНІ ОСНОВИ ВПЛИВУ ФІЗИЧНИХ ВПРАВ НА ЗБЕРЕЖЕННЯ ЗДОРОВ’Я СТУДЕНТСЬКОЇ МОЛОДІ

The article examines the medical and biological basis of the influence of physical exercises on the health of student youth. Literary sources related to the topic of the study were analyzed. The problem is described in its general form, which concerns the way of life of modern student youth. It is noted that only in-depth knowledge of the medical and biological influence will help to form students' desire and motivation to engage in physical exercises, as well as to observe the basics of a healthy lifestyle. The morpho-functional changes occurring in the human body during physical exercises are revealed. The division of the organism's reserves into biological and social is presented. The functional effects of exercises on life expectancy is described. A comparative analysis of the influence of motor activity and hypokinesia on the human body was carried out. The basics of adaptation of individual body systems to physical exertion are revealed, namely: changes in the composition and physicochemical properties of blood and the circulatory system, functional effects of adaptation of the respiratory system, features of adaptation of the digestive and metabolic systems, as well as functional effects of adaptation of neurohumoral regulation systems. In the process of research, it was concluded that it is difficult to overestimate the medical and biological impact of physical exercises on the process of preserving the health of student youth, since physical activity affects the human body in a complex way, on all its systems, processes of exchange and accumulation of functional reserves. It was concluded that with the help of physical exercises you can achieve many positive effects and affect the overall life expectancy of a person. Prospects for further research in this direction are seen in determining the level of awareness of student youth in the issues of medical and biological bases of the influence of physical exercises on preserving their own health, as well as finding new approaches for working with students in this direction in order to achieve the formation of sustainable motivation for physical activities exercises and adherence to the basics of a healthy lifestyle.

Impact of STEM on Primary School Students' 21st Century Skills, NOS, and Learning Experiences

This study examines the influence of STEM activities on fourth-grade students’ 21st-century skills, their understanding of the nature of science (NOS), and their overall learning experiences. The research was conducted during the autumn term of the 2021–2022 academic year at a public primary school with a relatively low socioeconomic status. Over six weeks, STEM activities were integrated into the “Earth’s Crust and the Movements of Our Earth” unit in the Science curriculum. A mixed-method approach was employed, encompassing a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design for the quantitative phase and a case study approach for the qualitative phase. The sample included 35 fourth-grade students. Data were obtained using the “21st Century Learning and Innovation Skills Scale,” the “Ideas About the Nature of Science Scale,” and unstructured observation notes. The findings indicated statistically significant improvements in the experimental group’s 21st-century skills, particularly creativity, innovation, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Moreover, the activities fostered enhanced cooperation and communication skills. Based on post-test results, the student’s understanding of the NOS also improved significantly. Qualitative analysis of teacher observation notes supported these outcomes, showing heightened student engagement, enjoyment, and active participation. Students produced more creative and reflective responses to scientific concepts, while their collaborative and communicative competencies were notably strengthened. In sum, STEM activities embedded within the 5E teaching model enriched the learning process by promoting scientific curiosity, critical thinking, and sustained motivation. Students’ requests for similar activities in other courses further underscored these interventions' positive impact and enduring appeal.

Enter the School Online Promoter for Online Course Success

Often schools are unable to offer a wide curriculum at the Pre-tertiary level (16-18 year olds) because of small cohorts or limited finance to employ the full-time specialist. Some schools, however, have incorporated alternative online instruction instead of conventional direct instruction. However, these online Pre-tertiary learners have to negotiate with working in an unfamiliar virtual working environment, lack of sustained motivation, and the sense of being anonymous and not accountable in any meaningful way. Using data based on 20 interviews with international Pre-tertiary students, school staff, and online provider administrative staff, we propose the Online Partnership Model that has the potential to address these motivational and accountability challenges. In this model, the online provider formally trains and continually works together with an “Online promoter” who is a designated member of the school’s staff that is in regular face-to-face contact with the online student. The findings indicate that the motivational role of the Online promoter is welcomed by students, schools, and the online provider as being crucially supportive to student motivational well-being in the virtual environment. With such support, online delivery could well be a viable means of enabling schools to widen their curriculum without having to employ additional staff. For schools, this means that they can offer more specialized subjects (for example, Economics, Psychology, Film Studies, Mandarin) in their curricula where the small number of students does not justify employing a specialist teacher.

SOCIO-LEGAL PROTECTION OF PERSONALITY AS A COMPONENT OF TRAINING THE FUTURE SOCIAL WORKERS

The article, based on the analysis of theory and practice, characterizes the peculiarities of training future social workers for social and legal protection of the individual.The author found out that in the conditions of integration into the common world educational and scientific space, an urgent task is to study the modern needs of education and science, taking into account the realities and opportunities, traditions and innovations of Ukrainian and international practice, in particular, with regard to the training of highly qualified personnel-competent specialists capable meet the current demands of society. In modern socio-cultural conditions, the training of future social workers who possess one of the most important tools – social and legal education – has become relevant.In this context, the task of integrating the theoretical and practical components of the training of future specialists, the further development of the principles of practical training of students, orientation towards the formation of professional skills and abilities, and sustainable motivation for future professional activity becomes especially relevant.The formation of social and legal knowledge and technologies of their application in practice as a component of professional activity is of exceptional importance for students – future social workers. The latter necessitates differentiated training of social workers. This approach to substantiating the purpose of student education significantly affects the quality of training of specialists in their field, who have sufficient professional skills to use knowledge of social and legal protection of the individual in their professional activities.The specified arguments determine the need to find and implement new approaches to the professional training of future social workers for socio-legal protection of the individual by developing new methods and programs for the formation of the necessary competencies, analyzing the influence of various factors on the quality of the socio-legal component of the training of future social workers.

GPS-supported smartphone app-based integrated travel diary and time-use data collection: challenges and lessons learned

AbstractTravel behaviour and time-use data are two vital data sources for travel demand modelling. Travel behaviour is traditionally collected through household travel surveys, enhanced by using GPS-supported smartphone apps for passive location data collection. However, recruiting individuals willing to install these apps with sustained motivation to continue participation has been a critical challenge. This paper shares insights from a travel and time-use data collection procedure in Chicago and Sydney using the Fourstep app. Social media platforms were utilised as a solution to recruit participants in Chicago, where an international market research company failed to accomplish the task. This paper also discusses the challenges we faced and suggests ways to overcome them, offering valuable guidance to researchers in recruiting participants for smartphone application-based data collection. It also offers an analysis of travel, time-use, and travel-based multitasking behaviours based on the data collected from the Chicago and Sydney samples.

Sustainable entrepreneurship: examining stimulus-organism-response to the nexus of environment, education and motivation

PurposeThe multidimensional decision-making framework of sustainable entrepreneurship affects student behavior in higher education institutions. Thus, the sustainable entrepreneurship environment has long attracted scholars and policymakers. Based on “Stimulus Organism Response (SOR),” this study examines serial mediation of sustainable entrepreneurial education and entrepreneurial motivation to link sustainable entrepreneurial environment and intentions. Further, it also explored the moderating role of a sustainable entrepreneurial environment.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative study was conducted with a sample of 408 students of Indian higher education institutes in NCR using a purposive sampling technique. Smart PLS-SEM was utilized for assessing the structural model, and a goodness-of-fit assessment was done with Amos 22.FindingsThe findings revealed the significant impact of a sustainable entrepreneurial environment on sustainable entrepreneurial education, motivation and sustainable entrepreneurial intentions. Furthermore, sustained entrepreneurial education has the most important influence on student motivation and considerable serial mediation. Also, the moderating role of a sustainable entrepreneurial environment was found to be significant for linkages of entrepreneurial motivation and sustainable entrepreneurial education with sustainable entrepreneurial intentions.Practical implicationsThe study will assist HEIs and scholars in understanding the role of sustainability in entrepreneurial courses to increase student intentions to start sustainable businesses.Social implicationsThis study helps policymakers and HEIs understand what motivates students to pursue sustainable entrepreneurship. This research might improve the well-being of education stakeholders and the community in achieving sustainable development goals.Originality/valueThe study is the first to analyze how sustainable entrepreneurial education and motivation serially mediate the link between a sustainable entrepreneurial environment and aspirations to establish a sustainable business and contribute to the existing literature of SOR from a new perspective.

Gamified Networked Learning Environments in Higher Education: A Study on Student Engagement and Value Creation in Computer Science

In the rapidly evolving domain of computer science education, fostering deep engagement and sustained motivation among students remains a challenge. This study introduces the Answers platform, a pioneering online learning environment developed at TU Delft. This research aims to reimagine the learning experience for Bachelor and Master of Science Students in computer science by integrating gamification elements grounded in Wenger's value creation framework. Our paper explores two critical research questions: the perception of learners towards gamified learning experiences and the impact of the Answers' system on value creation and motivation. We incorporated points, badges, and leaderboards in a semester-long intervention to enrich the learning landscape. The Value Creation Questionnaire (VCQ) results indicated that the platform effectively created potential and applied value, significantly enhancing students' learning practices and motivation. However, its impact on fostering social connections could have been more pronounced. The platform also moderately influenced students' ability to impact their world and shift perspectives. The Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) revealed that students generally enjoyed using the platform but felt it did not significantly enhance feelings of connectedness. This paper contributes to the body of knowledge by demonstrating the efficacy of gamification in computer science education and offering insights into the design of engaging online learning platforms. By bridging theoretical frameworks with practical application, the Answers platform exemplifies the potential of gamified environments to revolutionize educational practices in the digital age.

EXPLORING SUSTAINABLE CLOTHING CONSUMPTION IN ROMANIA: THE MIDDLE-INCOME CHALLENGE

Immense pressure is placed on the textile industry in middle-income countries like Romania, where natural resources are becoming increasingly scarce due to the growing demand for clothing fueled by excessive consumerism. The significant amount of clothing waste in Romania highlights the negative effects of fast fashion, despite growing public awareness of its environmental consequences. During these times it is important to advocate sustainable clothing consumption behaviors, like choosing recyclable clothes over new items or preferring sustainable clothing items over fast fashion. There is a need to shift consumers’ clothing consumption towards a more sustainable one. Promoting sustainable practices and economic growth in middle-income countries like Romania can reduce the negative impacts of excessive clothing consumption and decrease the burden on the textile industry. To enhance sustainable clothing consumption, it is important to apprehend the factors that predict consumers’ intentions to purchase sustainable clothing consumption. However, the literature provides limited research exploring the underlying factors that determine consumers’ intention to purchase sustainable clothing in middle-income countries. Moreover, the impact of consumers’ environmental awareness on their sustainable clothing purchase motivation is underexplored. To fill the research gap, this study intends to analyze the problem by providing an exploration of the sustainable consumption field through the development of a comprehensive framework that examines the behavioral factors influencing consumers in Romania to buy sustainable clothing. This study’s novelty integrates social value orientations with the theory of planned behavior and analyzes data from 1,018 Romanian respondents using statistical methods like partial least squares path modeling. The findings of the study reveal that altruistic values, social norms, and positive attitudes significantly impact Romanian consumers’ intentions to purchase sustainable clothing. These discoveries grant significant guidance for promoting sustainable clothing consumption and provide practical implications for the textile industry in middle-income countries like Romania when addressing clothing overconsumption.

Exploration of Empowering Ideological and Political Education in Vocational Courses Through Digital Technologies

The introduction of ideological and political education within the curriculum offers a solution to the overly simplistic approach to ideological and political education in higher education institutions. This paper explores the logical mechanisms and implementation pathways for digitizing the construction of Curriculum Ideology and Politics, considering the characteristics of the digital era. Digitalization enhances teaching quality, efficiency, and reduces burdens, effectively enabling the integration of ideological and political education into course construction models, teaching resources, and evaluation methods, while also providing sustained motivation for lifelong learning. By seamlessly integrating ideological and political elements with vocational education competencies, practical teaching, and campus life, and leveraging digital information platforms, a subtle yet pervasive approach is achieved, ensuring holistic education across all courses and platforms.

Designing for Sustained Motivation: A Review of Self-Determination Theory in Behaviour Change Technologies

Abstract Recent years have seen a surge in applications and technologies aimed at motivating users to achieve personal goals and improve their wellbeing. However, these often fail to promote long-term behaviour change, and sometimes even backfire. We consider how self-determination theory (SDT), a metatheory of human motivation and wellbeing, can help explain why such technologies fail, and how they may better help users internalize the motivation behind their goals and make enduring changes in their behaviour. In this work, we systematically reviewed 15 papers in the ACM Digital Library that apply SDT to the design of behaviour change technologies (BCTs). We identified 50 suggestions for design features in BCTs, grounded in SDT, that researchers have applied to enhance user motivation. However, we find that SDT is often leveraged to optimize engagement with the technology itself rather than with the targeted behaviour change per se. When interpreted through the lens of SDT, the implication is that BCTs may fail to cultivate sustained changes in behaviour, as users’ motivation depends on their enjoyment of the intervention, which may wane over time. An underexplored opportunity remains for designers to leverage SDT to support users to internalize the ultimate goals and value of certain behaviour changes, enhancing their motivation to sustain these changes in the long term.