Section B : Student Learning

SECTION B : STUDENT LEARNING

Ways of Understanding Student Learning

This is an abbreviated version of Module 1. The full version can be downloaded by clicking HERE.

Aim: Develop an awareness of the central position of the perceptions of students in developing their approaches to learning.

Topic 1: The Constitutionalist perspective on student learning used to underpin this module.

Read:
Prosser & Trigwell, Chapter 2 on a model of the experience of learning

Ramsden, Chapters 3-5 on perceptions, approached and learning outcomes.

Reflect:

To what extent are your own personal or preferred theories about how students learn consistent with the messages described in the readings?
How might you imagine the scenario portrayed by Ramsden in Chapters 3-5 being relevant to your teaching? What might you do differently as a result of reading this material?

Topic 2: Interviewing your students

Task:
The main activity for Topic 2 is to ask three of your students about their learning.

Your interview should be designed to explore how the students go about their learning and why.

In particular you should find out:

1. How they approach learning tasks
2. What their conception of learning is
3. What contextual factors influence their approach.

You might wish to summarise your findings in a short report, including:

Brief case studies of the students you have interviewed
Summary tables relating:
-learning approaches to conceptions of learning
-learning approaches to contextual factors influencing approaches

In the final section of the report you should comment on:

The implications of your findings for your teaching in that subject, and any changes you might introduce as a result.

Reflect:
This exercise is about finding out from students how the learning context you establish might affect their learning and how you might change that context. You might include a discussion of this in your report. For the case studies you will need to have already categorised the students' statements and decide what sort of approach(es) and conception(s) of learning the students describe. You should aim to explain your cases as integrated pictures of how they learn and why they learn as they do. To be convincing you will probably need to have selected crucial quotes from your interviews to back up your descriptions and categorisations. There are good examples or case studies in : Marton, et al (1997) "The Experience of Learning". Scottish Academic Press. Chapter 14, The World of the Learner is particularly useful.

Plot the relationships between each student's highest level of conception of learning and approach to learning that you have identified from your three students.

From your three case studies, what have you discovered about what seems to influence students to take a surface or a deep approach to learning? How do your results compare with the analysis by Ramsden in Chapter 5?

Finally, what are the implications of your findings for your teaching in that subject and what if any changes you might introduce to your teaching as a result of this information.

Previous Section Module 1 Menu Project Home Page Next Section

Previous Section

Module 1 Menu

Project Home Page

Next Section

Aim:	Develop an awareness of the central position of the perceptions of students in developing their approaches to learning.
Topic 1:	The Constitutionalist perspective on student learning used to underpin this module.
Read:	Prosser & Trigwell, Chapter 2 on a model of the experience of learning Ramsden, Chapters 3-5 on perceptions, approached and learning outcomes.
Reflect:	To what extent are your own personal or preferred theories about how students learn consistent with the messages described in the readings? How might you imagine the scenario portrayed by Ramsden in Chapters 3-5 being relevant to your teaching? What might you do differently as a result of reading this material?
Topic 2:	Interviewing your students
Task:	The main activity for Topic 2 is to ask three of your students about their learning. Your interview should be designed to explore how the students go about their learning and why. In particular you should find out: 1. How they approach learning tasks 2. What their conception of learning is 3. What contextual factors influence their approach. You might wish to summarise your findings in a short report, including: Brief case studies of the students you have interviewed Summary tables relating: -learning approaches to conceptions of learning -learning approaches to contextual factors influencing approaches In the final section of the report you should comment on: The implications of your findings for your teaching in that subject, and any changes you might introduce as a result.
Reflect:	This exercise is about finding out from students how the learning context you establish might affect their learning and how you might change that context. You might include a discussion of this in your report. For the case studies you will need to have already categorised the students' statements and decide what sort of approach(es) and conception(s) of learning the students describe. You should aim to explain your cases as integrated pictures of how they learn and why they learn as they do. To be convincing you will probably need to have selected crucial quotes from your interviews to back up your descriptions and categorisations. There are good examples or case studies in : Marton, et al (1997) "The Experience of Learning". Scottish Academic Press. Chapter 14, The World of the Learner is particularly useful. Plot the relationships between each student's highest level of conception of learning and approach to learning that you have identified from your three students. From your three case studies, what have you discovered about what seems to influence students to take a surface or a deep approach to learning? How do your results compare with the analysis by Ramsden in Chapter 5? Finally, what are the implications of your findings for your teaching in that subject and what if any changes you might introduce to your teaching as a result of this information.