Asia Pacific Education Review

This study explores Korean elementary school students’ decreased motivation for English learning by analyzing the questionnaire data obtained from 6,301 students in a large city in South Korea. The students’ school grades and their prior experience in private institutes were considered as the major factors behind the decrease in their motivation. There was a statistically significant and consistent decrease in the students’ satisfaction with their English learning experience; expectation of ultimate success in English; and intrinsic/extrinsic motivation and integrative/instrumental motivation. Prior experience in attending private institutes had a substantial impact on the students’ motivation. Those who attended private institutes (hakwons) exhibited higher levels of instrumental and intrinsic motivation. However, in terms of other motivational constructs of integrative and extrinsic (parental, academic) motivation, private instruction had a negligible or negative impact. By comparing the results with those of Lamb (2007), the present study proposes that Korean students should be made to internalize the beneficial role played by English so that their English learning motivation can be maintained.

This paper examines the sources of satisfaction and frustration among Malaysian academics across three types of higher education institutions (HEIs)—public research university, public comprehensive university and private non-profit university. Based on interview with 67 academics across six HEIs, there is a clear pattern and relationship between the sources of satisfaction and frustration and the types of institutions these academics were affiliated. The major sources of satisfaction are related to the nature of academic work, which includes supervising, mentoring, teaching and interacting with students, as well as conducting research and disseminating knowledge through publication. However, the major sources of frustration are predominantly related to the governance of higher education, resulting from unrealistic expectations, lack of transparency of the promotion and reward system, and a strong bureaucratic culture. The understanding of satisfaction and frustration has helped us to understand issues of morale, retention and, possibly, productivity of academics across these HEIs, and in turn, the understanding of these issues about academics has implications in understanding the governing structure of HEIs. Although this study is limited only to HEIs in Malaysia, the findings have wider implications in contributing to the understanding of governance and academic culture in the broader context of higher education.