We recently developed the Framework of Achievement Bests to explain the importance of effective functioning, personal growth, and enrichment of well-being experiences. This framework postulates a concept known as optimal achievement best, which stipulates the idea that individuals may, in general, strive to achieve personal outcomes, reflecting their maximum capabilities. Realistic achievement best, in contrast, indicates personal functioning that may show moderate capability without any aspiration, motivation, and/or effort expenditure. Furthermore, our conceptualization indicates the process of optimization, which involves the optimization of achievement of optimal best from realistic best.In this article, we explore the Framework of Achievement Bests by situating it within the context of student motivation. In our discussion of this theoretical orientation, we explore in detail the impact of instructional designs for effective mathematics learning as an optimizer of optimal achievement best. Our focus of examination of instructional designs is based, to a large extent, on cognitive load paradigm, theorized by Sweller and his colleagues. We contend that, in this case, cognitive load imposition plays a central role in the structure of instructional designs for effective learning, which could in turn influence individuals' achievements of optimal best. This article, conceptual in nature, explores varying efficiencies of different instructional approaches, taking into consideration the potency of cognitive load imposition. Focusing on mathematical problem solving, we discuss the potentials for instructional approaches to influence individuals' striving of optimal best from realistic best.

One notable concept that is of interest is a person’s state of optimal functioning . Achieving optimal functioning (e.g., subjective well-being at school), aside from personal autonomy, requires some form of “optimization.” Optimization , we argue, is more than just an “enhancement,” a “predictive effect,” and/or a “causal flow” between an independent variable (IV) and a dependent variable (DV). We note from existing literature that optimization has often been referred to without a clear, definitive explanation of what this term actually entails. At the same time, we acknowledge that unlike other areas of development (e.g., engagement), no theoretical article is available to explain the concept of optimization. This article considers a number of theoretical tenets for advancement: (1) the tenet of three major criteria that could assist in the explanation, assessment, and measurement of optimization, (2) the tenet of the development of a methodological conceptualization that could measure and assess optimization, and (3) the tenet of the “quantification” of optimization, and in particular, a proposed index of optimization and a corresponding scientific notation of “ γ ”, which we coin as an “optimizing effect.” Overall, we contend that this examination is insightful and holistic, seeking clarity into an important topical theme in psychology.

This paper discusses the education context and English teaching and learning in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The paper is organised into five main sections. The first section offers a brief glance at the social, religious, economic, and political context in KSA. The second section provides an overview of the education system in KSA, which includes a brief explanation of the history of education, a discussion of the role of government in modern education, and a description of the administration of education in the country. The third section presents information about English teaching and learning in public and higher education in KSA, while the fourth gives insights into the challenges and difficulties students face when learning English. The last section focuses on the importance of learning English in KSA.

Engagement is a prominent theoretical orientation that has received great attention from educators and researchers. This article provides a literature overview of the engagement construct pertaining to its various definitions, dimensions, and major conceptualisations. In addition, the review sheds light on two major approaches to engagement in the current literature: one entails students' cognitive, behavioural, and emotional engagement

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