Student perceptions and approaches to learning

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Student perceptions and approaches to learning

• Session 2

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A model of student learning
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The relationship between approaches and outcomes

• Student process questionnaire
• Please read the instructions carefully
• Complete the questionnaire twice, firstly as a
  good student, then as a weak student
• Score your own responses when you have finished

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What do we find?

• A pattern of approaches related to outcomes
• These pattern of responses consistently
  differentiate three approaches to study
  identified in the research
• Deep approaches are consistently associated with
  high quality learning outcomes
• Surface approaches are associated with poorer
  quality learning outcomes

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Surface Approach

• Intention to reproduce
• rote memorising information
• failure to distinguish principles from examples
• treat tasks as external impositions
• focus on discrete elements without integration

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Deep Approach

• Intention to understand
• Vigorous interaction with content
• Relate new ideas to previous knowledge
• Relate concepts to everyday experiences
• Relate evidence to conclusions

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Achievement Approach

• Intention to obtain high marks
• Organise time and distribute effort to greatest
  effect
• Use previous exam papers to predict questions
• Alert to cues and clues about marking

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What influences students approaches to learning?
Students experiences and perceptions of teaching

• If students think the
• teaching is good
• goals and standards are clear
• then they are likely to be adopting deep
  approaches to study
• If students think the
• assessment is inappropriate
• workload is inappropriate
• then they are likely to be adopting surface
  approaches to their studies

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Evidence that students perceptions are related to
their approach to learning

• Rotated Factor Analysis of the Course
  Perceptions and Approaches to Study Sub-scales,
  using the Student as the Unit of Analysis.
• Sub-scale Factor ______________ 1 2
• Good Teaching .81
• Clear Goals .75
• Appropriate Workload -.59
• Appropriate Assessment -.74
• Generic Skills .74
• Surface Approach .83
• Deep Approach .67
• Loadings less than .30 deleted n 762

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• A deep approach to study is associated with
  perceptions that the teaching is good, that the
  goals are clear, and that there is development of
  generic skills.
• A surface approach to study is associated with a
  perception that workload is too high and that
  assessment is testing reproduction.
• Source Prosser, M. Trigwell, K. 2000
  Understanding Learning and Teaching The
  Experience in Higher Education. The Society for
  Research into Higher Education and Open
  University Press. UK.

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• Rotated Factor Analysis of Overall Evaluation
  Items and the Approaches to Study Sub-scales
• ________________________________________
• Sub-scale Factor 1
• Overall Course Evaluation .83
• Overall Teaching Evaluation .71
• Surface Approach -.50
• Deep Approach .55
• ________________________________________
• Loadings less than .30 deleted n 1794

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• Overall evaluation of the teaching and the course
  is positively associated with a deep approach to
  study and negatively associated with a surface
  approach.
• Source Prosser, M. Trigwell, K. 2000
  Understanding Learning and Teaching The
  Experience in Higher Education. The Society for
  Research into Higher Education and Open
  University Press. UK.

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Surface approaches encouraged by

• Assessment methods emphasising recall or the
  application of trivial, procedural knowledge
• Assessment methods that create undue anxiety
• Excessive amount of content material in the
  curriculum
• Poor or absent feedback on progress
• Lack of interest in, or background knowledge of
  the subject
• Previous experiences that encourage such
  approaches
• Ramsden, P (1992) Learning to teach in higher
  education

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Deep approaches encouraged by

• Teaching methods that foster active and long term
  engagement with the learning tasks
• Stimulating and considerate teaching -
  demonstrating the lecturers personal commitment
  to the subject matter - stresses its meaning and
  relevance to the students
• Clearly stated academic expectations
• Interest in, and background knowledge of, the
  subject matter
• Previous experiences that encourage such
  approaches
• Ramsden, P (1992) Learning to teach in higher
  education

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How will we use this information?

• Consider how we can teach in order to encourage
  students to adopt deep approaches to their
  learning in our courses
• Consider adopting a student-centered perspective
  rather than a teacher-centered perspective on
  teaching