Approaches to learning in science: a longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND Longitudinal studies of students' approaches to learning in higher education can tell us much about the impact of the tertiary experience. More information about teaching and learning practices and how students respond to these may enable educators to better assist students to gain the maximum benefit from their tertiary studies. AIMS The study set out: (i) to monitor the change in approaches to learning over a three-year period; (ii) to evaluate the relationship between student age, sex and university entry mode on students' approaches to learning; and (iii) to evaluate the predictive validity of the SPQ scales on one mode of learning outcome, that being annual GPA. SAMPLES The sample consisted of 200 commencing students studying in a science course at an Australian university. METHOD The Biggs SPQ was administered in a first-year chemistry class and repeated at intervals of 4 and 8 months. This was followed by administration by post after 16 months and 30 months. RESULTS Student approach to learning is dynamic and amenable to change as a result of the learning experience. Of the three SPQ scales, the achieving approach appears to undergo the greatest change with time, while the deep approach showed a consistent positive correlation with assessment outcomes. Student age was a major factor in both the SPQ scores and assessment outcomes but no gender effect was evident. CONCLUSIONS Students see university study, and in particular the first year, as a survival course and adopt strategies suited to that task. Older students adopt approaches to study which differ from their younger colleagues and as a consequence they are in general more successful in the tertiary environment.

[1]  D. Kember.  The intention to both memorise and understand: Another approach to learning? , 1996 .

[2]  P. Pintrich,et al.  Reliability and Predictive Validity of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (Mslq) , 1993 .

[3]  John T. E. Richardson.  Using questionnaires to evaluate student learning: Some health warnings , 1994 .

[4]  J. Vermunt.  Metacognitive, cognitive and affective aspects of learning styles and strategies: A phenomenographic analysis , 1996 .

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

[6]  John T. E. Richardson,et al.  Mature Students in Higher Education: II. An Investigation of Approaches to Studying and Academic Performance. , 1995 .

[7]  D. Kember,et al.  Does higher education promote independent learning? , 1990 .

[8]  David Watkins,et al.  THE LEARNING PROCESSES OF AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: INVESTIGATIONS OF CONTEXTUAL AND PERSONOLOGICAL FACTORS , 1981 .

[9]  N. Entwistle,et al.  Identifying distinctive approaches to studying , 1979 .

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

[11]  D. Child,et al.  BIGGS' SPQ: A BRITISH STUDY OF ITS INTERNAL STRUCTURE , 1984 .

[12]  Rudolf H. Moos,et al.  Response bias in follow-up studies of college students , 1978 .

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

[14]  J. Biggs,et al.  Teaching For Quality Learning At University , 1999 .

[15]  J. Biggs,et al.  The Chinese Learner: Cultural, Psychological, and Contextual Influences. , 1996 .

[16]  Gillian M. Boulton-Lewis,et al.  Teaching and learning in higher education , 1998 .

[17]  S. Newstead,et al.  A study of two "quick-and-easy" methods of assessing individual differences in student learning. , 1992, The British journal of educational psychology.

[18]  R. Murray‐Harvey.  Learning styles and approaches to learning: distinguishing between concepts and instruments , 1994 .

[19]  Claire E. Weinstein,et al.  ASSESSING LEARNING STRATEGIES: THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE LASSI , 1988 .

[20]  P. Pintrich,et al.  Motivational and self-regulated learning components of classroom academic performance. , 1990 .

[21]  Eugene Sadler-Smith,et al.  Approaches to Studying: age, gender and academic performance , 1996 .

[22]  J. Vermunt,et al.  A longitudinal perspective on learning strategies in higher education : Different viewpoints towards development , 1999 .

[23]  P. Ramsden.  Learning to Teach in Higher Education , 1991 .

[24]  David Watkins,et al.  A longitudinal study of the approaches to learning of Australian tertiary students. , 1985 .

[25]  David Kember,et al.  Approaches to Study of Distance Education Students , 1986 .

[26]  David Kember,et al.  Reconsidering the dimensions of approaches to learning , 1999 .

[27]  Michael Prosser,et al.  Understanding Learning And Teaching , 1999 .

[28]  E. Sadler‐Smith,et al.  A comparative study of approaches to studying in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom , 1998 .

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

[30]  J. Biggs.  Student Approaches to Learning and Studying , 1987 .

[31]  G. Gibbs.  Improving the Quality of Student Learning , 1992 .

[32]  D. Kember,et al.  The dimensionality of approaches to learning : an investigation with confirmatory factor analysis on the structure of the SPQ and LPQ , 1998 .

[33]  S. Volet,et al.  A short‐term longitudinal investigation of cross‐cultural differences in study approaches using Biggs' SPQ questionnaire , 1994 .

[34]  F. Craik,et al.  Levels of Pro-cessing: A Framework for Memory Research , 1975 .

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

[36]  J. Biggs.  What do inventories of students' learning processes really measure? A theoretical review and clarification. , 1993, The British journal of educational psychology.

[37]  Jan J. Elshout,et al.  Learning styles: a cross-sectional and longitudinal study in higher education , 1998 .