scholarly journals Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST) in an Introductory Course in Chemistry.

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 66-78
Author(s):  
Stephen Brown ◽  
◽  
Sue White ◽  
Lara Wakeling ◽  
Mani Naiker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Learning Style ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Study Skills ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
First Year ◽  
Strategic Learning ◽  
Surface Approach ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Approaches To Study ◽  
Surface Learning

Approaches to study and learning may enhance or undermine educational outcomes, and thus it is important for educators to be knowledgeable about their students’ approaches to study and learning. TheApproaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students(ASSIST) – a 52 item inventory which identifies three learning styles (Deep, Strategic, and Surface), was given to first year undergraduate students undertaking an introductory chemistry course. Completed inventories (n=103, 85% response), included 30 BSc Biomedicine, 15 BSc Food and Nutrition, 22 BSc Geology, 18 BSc Science students, and a further 18 students on unnamed BSc pathways. The dominant learning style adopted was the Surface approach, with a mean score (SD) of 2.94 (0.54). The preference of the surface approach was consistent for all BSc pathways.There was a higher mean score for the strategic learning style in males (n= 59) compared to females (n=44) with no gender-based differences in either the deep or the surface learning styles.A surface approach may not necessarily indicate a lack of interest in chemistry, rather chemistry may be perceived as being peripheral to the students’ interests – this may be a problem when students with a diverse range of career aspirations study common content in large, first year introductory courses. Identifying students that adopt a surface learning style at an early stage in the undergraduate education journey is an important step in effectively targeting educational resources aimed at enhancing students’ learning habits.

scholarly journals Changes in approaches to learning over three years of university undergraduate study

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fiona McDonald ◽  
John Reynolds ◽  
Ann Bixley ◽  
Rachel Spronken-Smith
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Study Skills ◽  
Approaches To Learning ◽  
First Year ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Strategic Learning ◽  
Anatomy And Physiology ◽  
Undergraduate Study ◽  
Science Degree ◽  
Surface Learning

This study aimed to evaluate and compare approaches to learning by a longitudinal cohort of undergraduate students as they progressed from their first to third years of study in anatomy and physiology. The Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST) wascompleted at the beginning and end of their first year of university study, and in their final semester. At first year, a surface learning approach predominated; however, at third year, students showed a significant increase in their use of deep and strategic learning approaches compared to first year, although surface learning approaches were retained. The extent to which third-year students took both strategic and deep approaches to learning was positively correlated with their performance on assessment. As students progress through a three-year science degree, they develop deeper and more strategic learning approaches, and assessment and teaching styles probably promote these approaches to learning.

scholarly journals PRE-SERVICE ENGINEER EDUCATORS LEARNING MATHEMATICS: MAPPING THE LIVED COMPLEXITY

2021 ◽  
pp. 51-65
Author(s):  
Katerina Kasimatis ◽  
◽  
Andreas Moutsios-Rentzos ◽  
Nikolaos Matzakos ◽  
Varvara Rozou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mathematics Teaching ◽  
Teaching Effectiveness ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
First Year ◽  
Deep Approach ◽  
Surface Approach ◽  
Learning Mathematics ◽  
Electrical Engineers ◽  
Approaches To Study ◽  
Teaching Of Mathematics

In this paper, we adopt a systemic perspective to investigate the teaching of mathematics in ASPETE, which is a tertiary education institute in Greece that offers a two-faceted degree: an engineer degree and a pedagogical degree as engineer educator. We focus on the complex lived reality of first year Electrical Engineers and Mechanical Engineers students through a multileveled affective mapping oftheir studying in ASPETE, including: approaches to study, confidence in learning mathematics, conceptions about mathematics and its role in their studies and career, and views about mathematics teaching effectiveness (considering both what they actually experienced and what they would prefer to experience). Thestudents were found to show a lack of preference for the surface approach (though not combined with a preference for a deep approach), a neutral-positive confidence in learning mathematics, and to be satisfied by the teachers’ effectiveness. Confidence in learning mathematics appeared to be central in the identified dynamic affect system, whilst their conceptions about mathematics seemed to be related with the desired characteristics of mathematics teaching. The students of the two departments differed in their levels of confidence in learning mathematics, which we posit that is linked with the qualitatively different affective complexity they experience.

scholarly journals Effects of University Preparation and Engagement on Achievement

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Elizabeth Marie Chinlund
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Study Skills ◽  
School Achievement ◽  
First Year ◽  
University Preparation ◽  
Academic Challenge ◽  
University Degree ◽  
First Year University ◽  
Mainstream Students

<p>This study comprised an investigation of the longitudinal achievement of New Zealand first-year undergraduate students (n=967) who transitioned to their degrees through the Certificate of University Preparation (CUP) programme at Victoria University of Wellington between 2008 and 2012 and the role of preparation and engagement on their achievement. Certain student behaviours, development of study skills, importance of academic challenge, and emphasis on academic support were all correlated with later university achievement. Although engagement is a highly acclaimed concept, its links to achievement were unsubstantiated. Using linear regressions, students' academic perseverance and their achievement in CUP each uniquely predicted first-year university degree programme achievement. CUP students' university achievement was higher than mainstream students with similar secondary school achievement, based on a statistical model of achievement that accounted for the relative difficulty of achieving each result. These findings indicate that the CUP programme was effective in preparing learners to access and achieve in university.</p>

Approaches to study across four year-levels of undergraduate occupational therapy students: Similar or different?

2016 ◽  
Vol 79 (12) ◽  
pp. 752-761 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ted Brown ◽  
Yuki Murdolo
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Therapy ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Study Skills ◽  
Approaches To Learning ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Occupational Therapy Students ◽  
Surface Study ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Approaches To Study ◽  
The Mean

Introduction Past studies that have investigated approaches to study adopted by undergraduate students suggest that university learners enrolled in different year-levels in the same academic course may take up different approaches to study. No research to date has investigated how approaches to learning may differ among undergraduate occupational therapy students enrolled in their first, second, third or fourth year of tertiary level study. The aim of the current study was to examine the similarities and differences in approaches to study among four year-levels of occupational therapy students at one Australian university. Method First-, second-, third- and fourth-year undergraduate occupational therapy students ( N = 376; 92.8% response rate) completed the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students. A one-way ANOVA and Tukey HSD were conducted to identify differences in approaches to study across the four year-level cohorts of students. Results Fourth-year students differed significantly from first-, second- and third-year students on the mean scores of the deep and strategic approaches to study ( F(3,372) = 6.958, p = .01 and F(3,372) = 8.366, p = .001 respectively) and on a number of the associated Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students subscales. There was no statistically significant difference across the four student cohorts on the mean score of the surface study approach. Conclusion Findings from the current study highlighted the difficulties in facilitating a deep approach to study and the prevalence of a surface study approach among undergraduate occupational therapy students.

scholarly journals The undergraduate students’ beliefs about English language learning; a survey study in Madurese context

LEKSIKA ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 60
Author(s):  
Fithriyah Rahmawati
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Style ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
First Year ◽  
English Language Learning ◽  
Learning Program ◽  
Beliefs About Language Learning

The discussion in line with students’ beliefs about language learning is still popular nowadays since it is believed that the student’s beliefs may influence the language learning process, such as motivation, learning style, and strategies, etc. which later ultimately affected the success of language learning. This study was conducted to investigate how students of the English program at IAIN Madura (State Islamic Institute of Madura), Indonesia, express their beliefs about English language learning. This study was implemented in terms of survey study in which the data was primarily gathered by administering the questionnaire entitled Beliefs About Language learning Inventory (BALLI) of Horwitz’s (1987). The questionnaires were administered to students of English teaching and learning program through Google form. About 144 undergraduate students in the first year have participated in this study.  The finding revealed the students’ beliefs in terms of percentage of agreements in all area of BALLI, namely language aptitude, the strategy of learning and communication, the nature of learning language, motivation and expectation in learning, and the difficulty faced by students

scholarly journals "Opening Doors Early to Academic Integrity" – aiding the transition to and managing expectations of academic practice at University

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith Jurowska ◽  
John Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Academic Integrity ◽  
Study Skills ◽  
English Language ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Learning Technologies ◽  
Virtual Learning Environment ◽  
First Year ◽  
Essay Writing ◽  
Using Data

The Geography Department at Durham University has long recognized that Freshers/newly arrived undergraduate students are suddenly asked to juggle a whole new skills set on arrival at University, often without the level of assistance they have previously experienced at school. As Smith states: The first year is widely acknowledged as a critical period in determining a students? success at University. However, the period immediately prior to commencing University is also critical. (Smith, 2010, p. 1) This pilot project was designed to help new undergraduate students understand the differences between studying at school and reading for a degree (this British-English term is useful in this context as it refers to a requirement for students to read widely and engage critically with their "major" discipline) and to becoming active participants in a community of practice while at university. Collaboration between the Geography Department, English Language Centre, Learning Technologies and University Library developed a set of discipline specific study skills exercises, based around the concept of Academic Integrity. The study skills packages were launched within the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) on September 1, 2011 with an expectation that students would have completed the tasks by mid-October. Answers were collected using the test canvas and students received comprehensive online feedback after they submitted their responses. Postgraduate tutors and module convenors monitoring answers were able to identify areas of concern in terms of student comprehension, powers of analysis and identifying which students had not engaged with the tasks. Using data from focus groups with tutors, student surveys and comparison of essay writing performance over past years, we were able to show that cases of recorded plagiarism had fallen to zero saving staff time on plagiarism panels, whilst there was a marked improvement of marks from 2:2 to 2:1 grades.

scholarly journals Effects of University Preparation and Engagement on Achievement

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Elizabeth Marie Chinlund
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Study Skills ◽  
School Achievement ◽  
First Year ◽  
University Preparation ◽  
Academic Challenge ◽  
University Degree ◽  
First Year University ◽  
Mainstream Students

<p>This study comprised an investigation of the longitudinal achievement of New Zealand first-year undergraduate students (n=967) who transitioned to their degrees through the Certificate of University Preparation (CUP) programme at Victoria University of Wellington between 2008 and 2012 and the role of preparation and engagement on their achievement. Certain student behaviours, development of study skills, importance of academic challenge, and emphasis on academic support were all correlated with later university achievement. Although engagement is a highly acclaimed concept, its links to achievement were unsubstantiated. Using linear regressions, students' academic perseverance and their achievement in CUP each uniquely predicted first-year university degree programme achievement. CUP students' university achievement was higher than mainstream students with similar secondary school achievement, based on a statistical model of achievement that accounted for the relative difficulty of achieving each result. These findings indicate that the CUP programme was effective in preparing learners to access and achieve in university.</p>

scholarly journals Approaches to Study in Undergraduate Nursing Students in Regional Victoria, Australia

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 155-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Brown ◽  
Lara Wakeling ◽  
Mani Naiker ◽  
Sue White
Keyword(s):  
Cluster Analysis ◽  
Nursing Students ◽  
Study Skills ◽  
Surface Group ◽  
First Year ◽  
Undergraduate Nursing Students ◽  
Strategic Group ◽  
Undergraduate Nursing ◽  
Approaches To Study ◽  
And Cluster Analysis

AbstractIn developmental research to devise a strategy to identify students who may benefit from assistance with learning habits, approaches to study were explored in undergraduate nursing students (n=122) enrolled in a compulsory first-year course in physiology at a regional Australian university. The course constituted 30 credits (25%) of their first year of study. Using the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory (ASSIST), students were identified as adopting a deep (n=38, 31%), strategic (n= 30, 25%), or a surface (n=54, 44%) approach to study. Internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha [α]) for deep, strategic, and surface was 0.85, 0.87, and 0.76, respectively. Subsequently, a cluster analysis was done to identify two groupings: a “surface” group (n=53) and a “deep/strategic” group (n=69). The surface group scored lower in deep (33.28±6.42) and strategic (39.36±6.79) approaches and higher in the surface (46.96±9.57) approach. Conversely, the deep/strategic group scored 46.10±6.81, 57.17±7.81, and 41.87±6.47 in deep, strategic, and surface styles, respectively. This application of the ASSIST questionnaire and cluster analysis thus differentiated students adopting a surface approach to study. This strategy may enable educators to target resources, for example additional tutorial opportunities, peer-assisted study support, and tutor-led seminar sessions aimed at encouraging students to adopt a less superficial approach to study.

scholarly journals Learning Literacies through collaborative enquiry; collaborative enquiry through learning literacies

2012 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jo Ashley ◽  
Freya Jarman ◽  
Tunde Varga-Atkins ◽  
Nedim Hassan
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Study Skills ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
First Year ◽  
Student Survey ◽  
University Departments ◽  
Digital World ◽  
Academic Information ◽  
Collaboration And Communication ◽  
Central Services

The extent to which university departments foster learning literacies that equip students with the diverse skills required for employment in a digital world is an issue that is under increased scrutiny in British higher education. The Learning Literacies in the Digital Age report (LLiDA by Beetham et al. 2009) offers a framework of learning literacies, which encompasses a range of literacies including academic, information, digital and media literacies. Building on the LLiDA framework, this article outlines and discusses an approach that aimed to extend the development of information literacies of first-year undergraduate students along with digital and media literacies. The central characteristics of this approach involved students working collaboratively, in teams, on an enquiry-based learning task using the institutional virtual learning environment’s wiki tool. The task involved developing and creating a wiki on exactly the kind of learning literacies that students were meant to acquire during this enquiry. This dual development was underpinned by the collaborative input of staff from academic and central services departments. Student survey feedback and observation were used to map the various gains in the areas of 1) collaboration and communication skills, 2) information literacy (IL), academic practice (study skills) and employability skills, 3) media and digital/computer literacies and, finally, 4) disciplinary skills. The findings confirm the usefulness of the LLiDA framework as well as point to its potential for further development to map literacies specific to the discipline.

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