Why is it that so many children in the USA and England are described as unmotivated, uninterested and disengaged at school, in comparison with their peers in Eastern Europe and the Pacific Rim? Is it really the case that curriculum reform and high stakes testing will remedy the very real concern of educationalists, psychologists, parents, and the general public, and result in the high degrees of educational commitment that are often more prevalent in other cultures? In this book the fallacies of many current 'answers' to resolving student apathy are laid bare. Drawing upon findings from a major programme of research undertaken in sites in England, the USA and Russia, and recent research in the area of student motivation, this book identifies key factors that provide insight into our current predicament, including children's self-perceptions, goals, interests and aspirations, peer and parental influences, teacher perceptions, school traditions and practices, and the pervasive influence of broader social, cultural, historical and economic factors.