This doctoral study explores the motivational orientations of working practitioners pursuing a professional doctoral program who are former and current DPS-IM program students at Syracuse University, School of Information Studies. The found motivational orientations are compared to Confucian philosophy principles of self-cultivation illustrated in The Great Learning (DaXues`å>{t) which is considered the first of a set of Four Books (Sishusl`t). The manuscript's structure consists of a brief of three principles, followed by eight steps that promote individual self-cultivation. Researchers frequently utilize these steps as a connection between civil conduct applied to social and political order (e.g. Keenan, 2011, p. 37). This study uses this Confucian philosophical framework to reveal self-cultivation components related to the motives and aspirations of this select group; Western older adult learners. This study also aims to bridge Eastern motivation theory with Western approaches, making a contribution to both motivational theory and adult education fields of study.
This research utilized semi-structured interviews of twenty one DPS-IM students (80.77% participation). Collected data revealed that the majority of the participants were working professionals who have been in their field for at least 10 years. The interview data revealed that self-cultivation was found to be the greatest motivational factor for this study group followed by self-improvement, self-transformation, and sense of responsibility; which are all supported by Confucian learning philosophy found in The Great Learning.
This study suggests that even though in modern times, a 2000 year-old Eastern philosophy of learning is synonymous with the motives of adults seeking further education regardless of their cultural background.
","abstract_html":"<p>This doctoral study explores the motivational orientations of working practitioners pursuing a professional doctoral program who are former and current DPS-IM program students at Syracuse University, School of Information Studies. The found motivational orientations are compared to Confucian philosophy principles of self-cultivation illustrated in The Great Learning (DaXues`å>{t) which is considered the first of a set of Four Books (Sishusl`t). The manuscript's structure consists of a brief of three principles, followed by eight steps that promote individual self-cultivation. Researchers frequently utilize these steps as a connection between civil conduct applied to social and political order (e.g. Keenan, 2011, p. 37). This study uses this Confucian philosophical framework to reveal self-cultivation components related to the motives and aspirations of this select group; Western older adult learners. This study also aims to bridge Eastern motivation theory with Western approaches, making a contribution to both motivational theory and adult education fields of study.</p> <p>This research utilized semi-structured interviews of twenty one DPS-IM students (80.77% participation). Collected data revealed that the majority of the participants were working professionals who have been in their field for at least 10 years. The interview data revealed that self-cultivation was found to be the greatest motivational factor for this study group followed by self-improvement, self-transformation, and sense of responsibility; which are all supported by Confucian learning philosophy found in The Great Learning.</p> <p>This study suggests that even though in modern times, a 2000 year-old Eastern philosophy of learning is synonymous with the motives of adults seeking further education regardless of their cultural background.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Wong, Anna Ching-Yu"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Professional Studies","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Information Science and Technology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Art P. Thomas"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2014,"date_issued":"2014-05-30T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2014-05-30T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:54:51Z","subjects":["Cohort","Confucian learning philosophy","Doctoral students","Motivation","Syracuse University","Working practitioners","Social and Behavioral Sciences"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://surface.syr.edu/etd/88","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Art P. Thomas"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Wong, Anna Ching-Yu"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Information Science and Technology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Professional Studies"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Cohort","Confucian learning philosophy","Doctoral students","Motivation","Syracuse University","Working practitioners","Social and Behavioral Sciences"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://surface.syr.edu/etd/88"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This doctoral study explores the motivational orientations of working practitioners pursuing a professional doctoral program who are former and current DPS-IM program students at Syracuse University, School of Information Studies. The found motivational orientations are compared to Confucian philosophy principles of self-cultivation illustrated in The Great Learning (DaXues`å>{t) which is considered the first of a set of Four Books (Sishusl`t). The manuscript's structure consists of a brief of three principles, followed by eight steps that promote individual self-cultivation. Researchers frequently utilize these steps as a connection between civil conduct applied to social and political order (e.g. Keenan, 2011, p. 37). This study uses this Confucian philosophical framework to reveal self-cultivation components related to the motives and aspirations of this select group; Western older adult learners. This study also aims to bridge Eastern motivation theory with Western approaches, making a contribution to both motivational theory and adult education fields of study.
This research utilized semi-structured interviews of twenty one DPS-IM students (80.77% participation). Collected data revealed that the majority of the participants were working professionals who have been in their field for at least 10 years. The interview data revealed that self-cultivation was found to be the greatest motivational factor for this study group followed by self-improvement, self-transformation, and sense of responsibility; which are all supported by Confucian learning philosophy found in The Great Learning.
This study suggests that even though in modern times, a 2000 year-old Eastern philosophy of learning is synonymous with the motives of adults seeking further education regardless of their cultural background.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["THE MOTIVATION OF WORKING PRACTITIONERS SEEKING A DOCTORAL EDUCATION: FROM THE PERSPECTIVES OF CONFUCIAN LEARNING PHILOSOPHY"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Art P. Thomas"],"dc:creator":["Wong, Anna Ching-Yu"],"dc:description.abstract":["This doctoral study explores the motivational orientations of working practitioners pursuing a professional doctoral program who are former and current DPS-IM program students at Syracuse University, School of Information Studies. The found motivational orientations are compared to Confucian philosophy principles of self-cultivation illustrated in The Great Learning (DaXues`å>{t) which is considered the first of a set of Four Books (Sishusl`t). The manuscript's structure consists of a brief of three principles, followed by eight steps that promote individual self-cultivation. Researchers frequently utilize these steps as a connection between civil conduct applied to social and political order (e.g. Keenan, 2011, p. 37). This study uses this Confucian philosophical framework to reveal self-cultivation components related to the motives and aspirations of this select group; Western older adult learners. This study also aims to bridge Eastern motivation theory with Western approaches, making a contribution to both motivational theory and adult education fields of study.
This research utilized semi-structured interviews of twenty one DPS-IM students (80.77% participation). Collected data revealed that the majority of the participants were working professionals who have been in their field for at least 10 years. The interview data revealed that self-cultivation was found to be the greatest motivational factor for this study group followed by self-improvement, self-transformation, and sense of responsibility; which are all supported by Confucian learning philosophy found in The Great Learning.
This study suggests that even though in modern times, a 2000 year-old Eastern philosophy of learning is synonymous with the motives of adults seeking further education regardless of their cultural background.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://surface.syr.edu/etd/88"],"dc:subject":["Cohort","Confucian learning philosophy","Doctoral students","Motivation","Syracuse University","Working practitioners","Social and Behavioral Sciences"],"dc:title":["THE MOTIVATION OF WORKING PRACTITIONERS SEEKING A DOCTORAL EDUCATION: FROM THE PERSPECTIVES OF CONFUCIAN LEARNING PHILOSOPHY"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Information Science and Technology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Professional Studies"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:54:51Z"}