Medical students’ approaches to learning over a full degree programme

Students take three approaches to learning and studying: deep, surface and strategic, influenced by the learning environment. Following the General Medical Council's report "Tomorrow's Doctors," a deep approach was cultivated in Years 1 and 2 of a university undergraduate medical programme by introducing explicit written learning objectives constructed according to Biggs' SOLO taxonomy, problem-based learning and constructively aligned in-course assignments and examinations. The effect of these changes was measured with the Approaches to Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST). Scores were highest for a deep approach and lowest for a surface approach and showed relatively little change during the degree programme, apart from a slight fall in the scores for a surface approach, particularly for students undertaking an intercalated science degree. Possible explanations include: students' approaches may be established prior to university entry; deep scores were already high at the beginning of the programme and may be difficult to increase further; the changes in learning environment may not be strong enough to alter approaches which students perceive as having been successful.

[1]  P. Evans,et al.  Relationship between assessment results and approaches to learning and studying in Year Two medical students , 2007, Medical education.

[2]  K. Mattick,et al.  High‐quality learning: harder to achieve than we think? , 2007, Medical education.

[3]  G. Boulton‐Lewis.  Teaching for quality learning at university , 2008 .

[4]  Richard Gunstone,et al.  Metacognitive Development as a Shift in Approach to Learning: An in-depth study , 2002 .

[5]  G. Moore,et al.  The influence of the New Pathway curriculum on Harvard medical students , 1994, Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges.

[6]  N. Entwistle,et al.  Understanding Student Learning , 1983 .

[7]  Alfred Joseph Lizzio,et al.  University Students' Perceptions of the Learning Environment and Academic Outcomes: Implications for theory and practice , 2002 .

[8]  R. Schmeck,et al.  Learning strategies and learning styles , 1988 .

[9]  N. Bond,et al.  Approaches to Studying and Academic Performance in a Traditional Psychology Course , 1997 .

[10]  K. Trigwell,et al.  Understanding Learning and Teaching: the experience in higher education , 1999 .

[11]  W. Garms,et al.  Fifteen Thousand Hours: Secondary Schools and Their Effects on Children , 1980 .

[12]  D. Hounsell.  The Experience of Learning: Implications for Teaching and Studying in Higher Education , 1997 .

[13]  J. R. Scotti,et al.  Available From , 1973 .

[14]  D. Newble,et al.  The approaches to learning of students in a traditional and in an innovative problem‐based medical school , 1986, Medical education.

[15]  N. Entwistle.  Contrasting Perspectives on Learning , 2005 .

[16]  P Evans,et al.  Can we influence medical students’ approaches to learning? , 2005, Medical teacher.

[17]  D. Altman,et al.  Statistics notes: Cronbach's alpha , 1997 .

[18]  Michael Prosser,et al.  Improving the quality of student learning: the influence of learning context and student approaches to learning on learning outcomes , 1991 .

[19]  H. Schmidt,et al.  The psychological basis of problem‐based learning: a review of the evidence , 1992, Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges.

[20]  L. Unwin,et al.  Approaches to learning , 2002 .

[21]  Tracey Papinczak,et al.  Are deep strategic learners better suited to PBL? A preliminary study , 2009, Advances in health sciences education : theory and practice.

[22]  Noel Entwistle,et al.  Styles of learning and teaching , 1981 .

[23]  London,et al.  General Medical Council , 1920 .

[24]  A. Duhs,et al.  Understanding learning and teaching: The experience of higher education , 2000 .

[25]  Noel Entwistle,et al.  Motivational Factors in Students' Approaches to Learning , 1988 .

[26]  Velda McCune,et al.  Patterns of response to an approaches to studying inventory across contrasting groups and contexts , 2000 .

[27]  P. Ramsden,et al.  THE EXPERIENCE OF LEARNING THE CONTEXT OF LEARNING IN ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS 199198 CHAPTER THIRTEEN The Context of Learning in Academic Departments , 2005 .

[28]  F. Marton,et al.  Approaches to learning , 2003 .

[29]  Martin Valcke,et al.  Student models of learning and their impact on study strategies , 2009 .

[30]  Chris Hughes,et al.  Impact of a new integrated medicine program on students’ approaches to learning , 2009 .

[31]  F. Marton,et al.  ON QUALITATIVE DIFFERENCES IN LEARNING: I—OUTCOME AND PROCESS* , 1976 .

[32]  E. V. Rossum,et al.  The Relationship between Learning Conception, Study Strategy and Learning Outcome. , 1984 .

[33]  E. Austin,et al.  A preliminary study of empathy, emotional intelligence and examination performance in MBChB students , 2007, Medical education.