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This study aims to investigate a unique approach to learning languages through self-directed online learning. Specifically, it explores the self-management abilities and skills learners need while learning a language outside traditional classroom settings when using mobile-assisted learning technology.

A mixed-methods approach was used in this study, including an online survey of 84 people and 10 semi-structured interviews.

Findings reveal the significant role of specific and well-defined learning goals in enhancing learners’ performance. These goals can be either self-initiated by the learners themselves or defined by the technological features of the learning platform. However, the presence of distractions in learners’ daily lives presents challenges to effective time management, affecting learners both physically and psychologically. A key aspect of self-directed language learning lies in the learners’ ability to seek out relevant human and material resources beyond the confines of a single mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) tool. The authenticity of these resources is crucial in ensuring meaningful and effective learning experiences.

Understanding how learners navigate and discover valuable resources is a central focus of this study. This research offers valuable insights into the field of self-directed language learning, revealing the pivotal role of self-management skills with mobile-assisted learning technology. The findings contribute to the broader field of language education and offer practical implications for educators and developers seeking to optimize self-directed language learning experiences through innovative and technologically driven approaches.

MALL is often ideal for individualized informal learning, but the existing literature focuses heavily on formal learning situations, underestimating the importance of MALL practices in various informal settings. Most research reports on MALL-based self-directed learning primarily sample traditional English-learning university students. Therefore, there is a need for research on how nontraditional older adult learners self-direct their language learning with mobile technology outside the classroom.

This study aims to examine the relationship between cultural intelligence and organisational commitment and its effect on learning goal orientation and turnover intention within the expatriate society of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

A survey instrument was developed to collect data from 173 non-management expatriates employed by multinational corporations located in Dubai, UAE. SmartPLS bootstrap software was used to analyse the path coefficients and test the research hypotheses.

The results demonstrate that cultural intelligence enhances both learning goal orientation and turnover intention of expatriates. Moreover, organisational commitment partially mediates the relationship between cultural intelligence and turnover intention/learning goal orientation.

This study contributes by advancing extant knowledge with regard to cultural intelligence and organisational commitment effects on turnover intention and learning goal orientation of expatriates within a context of high cultural heterogeneity.

Current reinforcement learning (RL) algorithms are facing issues such as low learning efficiency and poor generalization performance, which significantly limit their practical application in real robots. This paper aims to adopt a hybrid model-based and model-free policy search method with multi-timescale value function tuning, aiming to allow robots to learn complex motion planning skills in multi-goal and multi-constraint environments with a few interactions.

A goal-conditioned model-based and model-free search method with multi-timescale value function tuning is proposed in this paper. First, the authors construct a multi-goal, multi-constrained policy optimization approach that fuses model-based policy optimization with goal-conditioned, model-free learning. Soft constraints on states and controls are applied to ensure fast and stable policy iteration. Second, an uncertainty-aware multi-timescale value function learning method is proposed, which constructs a multi-timescale value function network and adaptively chooses the value function planning timescales according to the value prediction uncertainty. It implicitly reduces the value representation complexity and improves the generalization performance of the policy.

The algorithm enables physical robots to learn generalized skills in real-world environments through a handful of trials. The simulation and experimental results show that the algorithm outperforms other relevant model-based and model-free RL algorithms.

This paper combines goal-conditioned RL and the model predictive path integral method into a unified model-based policy search framework, which improves the learning efficiency and policy optimality of motor skill learning in multi-goal and multi-constrained environments. An uncertainty-aware multi-timescale value function learning and selection method is proposed to overcome long horizon problems, improve optimal policy resolution and therefore enhance the generalization ability of goal-conditioned RL.

Errors are increasingly recognized as beneficial to the learning process and are more frequently integrated into training curriculums. Despite this growing interest, the work carried out so far offers little evidence highlighting the psychological qualities implicit in learning from error. By focussing on the role of specific trainee’s attributes [i.e. learning goal orientation (LGO) motivation to learn and metacognition], this study aims to better understand the reasons why some trainees benefit more (than others) from being confronted with errors during training.

A total of 142 trainees took part in this study by participating in a training on interviewing techniques that also exposed them to various committable errors, and by completing questionnaires at two different times (i.e. before and after training).

Results of bootstrap regression analysis highlights three main findings: LGO is positively linked to learning from errors; a significant portion of the link between LGO and learning from error is explained by motivation to learn and metacognition; and these effects are presented in the form of a double-mediated model which suggests two different explanatory pathways (i.e. motivational and cognitive).

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is among the first to offer insight on the psychological attributes influencing learning from errors and to bring forward the role of two underlying mechanism that are linked to this specific type of learning. It also invites researchers and practitioners to reflect on the best ways to make use of errors in training and promote the value of personal attributes on trainees’ learning experience.

Drawing upon the Proactive Motivation Model, this study aims to investigate the relationship between managerial coaching and employee knowledge-sharing behavior via psychological safety and learning goal orientation. This study also proposes that employee psychological safety and learning goal orientation sequentially mediate the relationship between managerial coaching and employee knowledge-sharing behavior.

This study used a time-lagged quantitative research design to test the proposed hypotheses. Using a self-administered questionnaire, data was gathered from 220 employees of information technology companies in Pakistan. This study used Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) two-stage approach to test the measurement and structural models.

The findings of the study support that there is an indirect relationship between managerial coaching and employees’ knowledge-sharing behaviors via psychological safety and learning goal orientation. In addition, the findings also support the sequential mediation of psychological safety and learning goal orientation in the proposed model.

The results of this study highlight that managers can play a vital role in fostering proactive resource-sharing behaviors of employees in knowledge-intensive organizations.

There is limited research on the relationship between managerial coaching and employees’ knowledge-sharing behavior. This study has analyzed this relationship using a motivational perspective. It makes important theoretical contributions by investigating the mechanisms through which managerial coaching influences employees’ knowledge-sharing behavior in organizations.

The purpose of this paper is to identify influential workplace engagement interventions that were initiated by managers over several years as revealed in many studies. Also, an action learning guide is offered for an individual manager to use such interventions with the employee in shaping activities to assist employee learning and performance improvement which may result in greater workplace engagement.

The first step was to examine the research literature on: the meaning of workplace engagement along with theory bases for it, the framework for stimulating employee engagement and information about action learning in the workplace. Second, was the identification of manager/organization interventions found to result in employee assessment of their own positive growth in workplace engagement? Third, we offer a practical, action learning approach.

An action guide is presented as an example of a method to assist a manager working with, in this case, a single employee. The guide is grounded on empirical research, mostly meta-analyses, and reflects positively assessed workplace engagement interventions.

In the performance management, human resources and training domains there is limited research and/or examples of practical guides for managers to use to link guidance with efforts to apply specific interventions to support employee workplace engagement. This paper provides the manager with a path to assist employees.

This study aims to contribute to the enrichment of the literature by examining the impact of cross-cultural training on expatriates’ adjustment of Nigerian bankers on expatriate assignments in other African countries.

Data on cross-cultural adjustment from expatriate employees in five banks that collectively accounted for over 80 per cent of Nigerian banks with subsidiaries in other African were systematically selected for the investigation. This data was collected quantitatively via a survey instrument. Independent sample t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and regression analysis were deployed in analyzing the data.

The study found that cross-cultural adjustment varied significantly across the different categories of gender, age, marital status, previous expatriate training, previous expatriate experience, and duration of expatriation. The study concludes that in order to attain higher levels of adjustment African banks and other organizations should provide a more comprehensive cross-cultural training program that mirrors the needs of employees following a detailed needs analysis. Also, the training must be sequential and not a one-off approach.

The literature though still nascent is largely focused on expatriate preparation and adjustment for expatriates moving from Western-to-western contexts and very little exists in the literature on how multinationals from Non-Western contexts like Africa prepare their staff for expatriation and its consequent impact on their adjustment. This study aims to enrich the literature by examining the impact of cross-cultural training on expatriates’ adjustment of Nigerian bankers on expatriate assignments in other African countries.

This chapter delves into sustainability-related competences in innovation management for further education as part of the European lifelong learning initiative. Despite extensive research in primary and secondary education, adult education often remains overlooked. Competence-based learning is a favored approach to integrating knowledge, skills, and attitudes across various domains. Through thematic analysis and deductive coding, the study examines 72 innovation management-related further education programs conducted in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, between June and December 2022. The findings unequivocally demonstrate the inclusion of sustainability competences in innovation-related further education. Notably, Strategic Competence emerges as the most prevalent, while Normative Competence appears least frequently. This research significantly advances the convergence of further education in innovation management, responsible management education, and competence-based learning, emphasizing the importance of sustainability competences in adult learning contexts. By shedding light on this underexplored domain, the study prompts further exploration and development of sustainable educational practices for lifelong learning.

Design an innovative Flipped classroom’s Delivery through virtual laboratory.

The fundamental framework of the present investigation is a Participatory Action Research (PAR) design. By merging the impetus of “action.” with the inclusiveness of “participation,” PAR establishes a “network” for collaborative teaching or research. PAR is pertinent to our research because it facilitates the participation of infrastructures and individuals in formulating a critical community. This community encourages critical self-reflection, promotes accountability, redistributes authority, and cultivates confidence in research. PAR fosters constructive transformation in educational environments by utilizing participants' combined insights and experiences to establish a structure for substantive dialogue and proactive measures.

As virtual laboratories are becoming essential in 21st-century science education, we found groundbreaking evidence that can support our novel approach to enhance the quality and equity in education. Our results show that virtual labs engage scientific goals and practices, develop scientific literacy, foster scientific inquiry and problem-solving, and promote metacognition. The effects of the virtual laboratory can develop high self-efficacy and positive attitudes among students. It improves students' laboratory performance, which we noted from laboratory activities, simulations, and long exam results.

The study offers groundbreaking account to depict epistemic fluency aided by virtual laboratory.

International assignments are not just opportunities for career advancement but also for personal growth and exploration. This paper, by capturing the changing expectations and success parameters across the assignments, is a timely and relevant resource for individuals navigating the complexities of international careers. In addition, the paper aims to help organizations build policies for enabling successful assignments for international assignees and managers.

Our research took a unique two-pronged approach to understanding the success parameters of international assignments. We first interviewed 16 managers to understand the success parameters they set for expatriates. Then, we interviewed 19 international assignees to explore their choices and how they defined success in their international experiences.

Our comprehensive research, based on 35 interviews with international assignees and their supervisors, reveals that an assignment's success evolves with different stages of the assignment, over the assignments that the assignees choose, and varies according to the intent of the mobility.

This paper makes a significant contribution to the field of cross-cultural management and international assignments. By discussing the evolving definition of success across various international assignments, it not only provides valuable insights for expatriates in their international careers but also to managers to build aligned policies and practices.