ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION AND PERSPECTIVE Many people are concerned about why some students are fully engaged and acquire the goals deemed important in schools while others remain unmotivated and uninvolved. These are important concerns and several explanations exist regarding the lack of motivation on the part of children and youth. Some believe the problem rests with students. They are not interested in what schools teach, and they are unwilling to expend very much effort. Others place the blame squarely on schools and teachers. The curriculum is out-of-date and irrelevant; school structures keep students in passive roles; and teachers’ methods remain rigid and non-interactive. Still others see the problem as the result of contemporary society and our values. There is a lack of commitment by adults to children. Youth spend too much time watching TV, playing computer games, and idolizing celebrities who model anti-intellectual attitudes and values.
