Motivation and attitudes of German language learners at NUI Maynooth: an empirical study

Abstract

This paper describes some of the results of a study undertaken in 1997, in the form of an M.A. thesis, on attitudes and motivations of undergraduate students of German at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth. It examines students’ perceptions of the learning process and learning outcomes, as well as student recommendations for the enhancement of the learning process. Within the theoretical framework, it seeks to establish the relationship between attitudes and motivation, based on student perceptions. As the debate on motivations and attitudes continues, current theories and hypotheses have been subsequently applied to these findings