THEME 3: HOW PEOPLE LEARN & LEARNING THEORIES SESSION 3: APPROACHES TO LEARNING & THEORETICAL MODELS

Think about your own learning Would you categorise your learning usually as

surface

deep

…or …strategic

Or something else?

http://www.audiosparx.com/sa/play/port_lofi.cfm/sound_iid.4696

APPROACHES TO STUDY http://www.learning-styles.co.uk/enh_eyls_msl_.php Marton (1975): Approaches to study Students’ approaches to a task (their intention), (perhaps) determines the level of engagement & thus the quality of the outcomes These approaches may be classified as either DEEP or SURFACE More recently extended to include ‘STRATEGIC LEARNING’ (Entwistle, 1997) http://www.learning-styles.co.uk/enh_eyls_msl_.php http://ericec.org/digests/e638.html

‘SURFACE’ APPROACH TO LEARNING Generically refer to ‘inappropriate’ learning activities as comprising a surface approach to learning…. Intention to (merely?) complete the given task Memorize the information - Rote learning No distinction between new ideas & existing knowledge Superficial cognitive processing gives the impression that max. learning has occurred. Facts are learned outside a context of meaning ‘To cope with course requirements’

SURFACE APPROACH “Learner sees task as external imposition Instrumentally or pragmatically motivated and seek to meet demands of task with minimum effort Overall involved in study without reflection on purpose or strategy with the focus of that study on the words, the text, or the formulae.”

(PROSSER & TRIGWELL, 1999) Ch.1 Adopt strategies which include: *focus on unrelated parts of the task *separate treatment of related parts (such as principles and examples) *focus on what are seen as essentials (factual data) *reproduction of the essentials as accurately as possible *rote memorising information for assessment purposes rather than for understanding (PROSSER & TRIGWELL, 1999) Ch.1

‘DEEP’ APPROACH TO LEARNING Generically refer to ‘appropriate’ learning activities as comprising a deep approach to learning…. Intention to seek and understand meaning Relate concepts to existing experience Distinguish between new ideas & existing knowledge Critically evaluate & determine key themes & concepts Facts are learnt within a meaningful framework ‘To understand for yourself’

DEEP APPROACH “Learner aims to understand ideas and seek meanings Learner has intrinsic interest in task and expectation of enjoyment in carrying it out Overall focus on meaning in argument, the message or the relationships, aware of meanings carried by words, text or formulae”

to help satisfy curiosity e.g. *making task coherent with own experience; *relating and distinguishing evidence/argument; *looking for patterns/underlying principles *integrating task with existing awareness *Seeing parts of task making up the whole *forming hypotheses *relating what s/he understand from other parts of the same subject and from different subjects (PROSSER & TRIGWELL, 1999) Ch.1

‘STRATEGIC’ APPROACH TO LEARNING Often seen as engaging elements of both surface & deep approaches Put consistent effort into studying Find the right conditions & materials for learning Managing time and effort effectively Being alert to assessment requirements & criteria Gearing work to perceived preference of lecturers ‘To achieve the best possible grades’

PRACTICAL TASK What factors might contribute to a particular approach to study being adopted? Please provide a practical example! How might this awareness impact upon your own professional practice?

BIGGS’ MODEL of CONSTRUCTIVE ALIGNMENT To encourage deep learning focus on: PRESAGE: student factors and teaching context PROCESS: activities focused to encourage deep and discourage surface learning PRODUCT: learning outcomes – facts; skills; structure; transfer; involvement http://www.engsc.ac.uk/er/theory/constructive_alignment.asp

“Factors encourage surface learning from student’s side” Intention only to achieve minimal pass – meal ticket? Relevance? Non-academic priorities exceeding academic Insufficient time, workload too high Misunderstanding requirements – recall adequate A cynical view of education High anxiety Genuine inability to understand particular content at a deep level” BIGGS (1999)

“Factors that encourage surface learning from teacher’s side” Teaching in piecemeal fashion: providing lists, not bringing out intrinsic structure of subject Assessing for independent facts – short answers and multiple-choice tests Teaching and especially assessing in a way that encourages cynicism Providing insufficient time to engage in tasks, emphasising coverage at the expense of depth Creating undue anxiety or low expectations of success: “Anyone who can’t understand this isn’t fit to be at university”. BIGGS(1999)

“Factors that encourage deep learning from student’s side” Intention to engage the task meaningfully and appropriately (intrinsic curiosity or determination to do well) Appropriate background knowledge; ability to focus at high conceptual level, working from first principles, requires well-structured knowledge base A genuine preference, and ability, for working conceptually rather than with unrelated detail” ( BIGGS,1999)

“Factors that encourage deep learning in the teaching environment” Teaching and assessing in a way that encourages a positive working atmosphere, so students can make mistakes and learn from them Emphasising depth of learning, rather than breadth or coverage In general, and most importantly, using teaching and assessment methods that support the explicit aims and objectives of the course” (BIGGS,1999)

“Factors that encourage deep learning in the teaching environment” Teaching in such a way as to bring out the structure of the subject explicitly Teaching to elicit a positive response from students, e.g. by questioning or presenting problems, rather than teaching to expound information Teaching by building on what students already know Confronting and eradicating students’ misconceptions Assessing for structure rather than for independent facts” (BIGGS,1999)

PROMOTING DEEP LEARNING PROVIDE CLEAR STATEMENT OF GOALS INCLUDE LEARNER INPUT TO COURSE STRUCTURE AND CONTENT TUTOR/LEARNER INTERACTION LEARNER/LEARNER INTERACTION ACTIVE/INTERACTIVE EXERCISES TEACH LEARNING SKILLS EXPLICITLY CHOICE AND/OR RANGE OF ASSESSMENT TASKS ENGAGE LEARNERS IN INVESTIGATION AND REFLECTION COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS FULL FEEDBACK

Should we be promoting deep, surface or strategic learning? Do we promote any of these unintentionally? How does the use of virtual learning environments affect the student or teacher approach to learning? How does deep learning relate to teaching smarter?

Not everything that is deep is beautiful…..

Or serious…

REFERENCES BIGGS, J., 1999, Teaching for Quality at University Open UP and SRHE, Buckingham Especially Chapter 2 for theory of “Constructive alignment” PROSSER,M. & TRIGWELL,K, 1999, Understanding Learning & Teaching: The Experience in Higher Education Especially Chapter 7

Deep and surface approaches to learning –an introduction http://www.ntlf.com/html/pi/9512/article1.htm http://www.engsc.ac.uk/er/theory/learning.asp http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/deepsurf.htm http://www.iml.uts.edu.au/learnteach/enhance/understand/index.html http://www.lsda.org.uk/files/PDF/1543.pdf Read the original authors for detail