[scott_s]

Look at it this way: colleges can't control a student's internal motivation. But they can control how they structure class time, and how they intervene with troubled students. So they're focusing on what they can control instead of what they can't.

Although, I think that well-timed intervention can help students with motivation problems. Students tend to lose motivation when they're struggling and don't know how to improve.

[teyc]

Very true. Much is already known about the rites/rituals/practices of successful students. It is a matter of giving timely feedback to encourage students to stay on course.