1. Diversity DEEPENING FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS’ THINKING The Effects of Deep Approaches to Learning on Three Outcomes Thomas F. Nelson Laird, Tricia A. Seifert, Ernest T. Pascarella, Matthew J. Mayhew, & Charles F. Blaich 11/17/1136th Annual Conference of the Association for the Study of Higher Education

2. Brief Background  College students should become  Better thinkers  More prone to take up effortful cognitive activity  Consumers of literature  Deep approaches to learning (DAL)  DAL and cognitive outcomes  Range of outcomes narrow  Most studies very localized

3. Purpose  Estimate the relationship between DAL and three dimensions of cognitive development among a broad sample of first-year students

4. Data & Samples  Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education  19 institutions (3 research univ, 3 regional univ, 2 community colleges, 11 liberal arts)  Incoming, first-year, full-time students  Data collection fall 2006 and spring 2007

5. Dependent Measures  CAAP-CTT (half the sample got this)  Captures students’ ability to clarify, analyze, evaluate, and extend arguments (ACT)  Need for Cognition Scale (NCS)  Measures one’s “tendency to engage in and enjoy effortful cognitive activity” (Cacioppo et al., 1996)  Positive Attitudes toward Literacy  Measures student’s enjoyment of literacy activities (e.g., reading poetry & literature, reading scientific & historical material, & expressing ideas in writing)

6. Deep Approaches to Learning  Overall DAL Scale (Combination of 3 sub-scales below;  =.82)  DAL Sub-Scales  Higher-order learning (4-items;  =.75)  Integrative learning (5-items;  =.67)  Reflective learning (3-items;  =.76)

7. Analysis  Correlations  With precollege score  With end-of-first-year score  Partial correlation with end-of-first-year, controlling for precollege score  Regression on end-of-first-year score  With overall DAL scale  With 3 sub-scales

8. CAAP CTT Correlations HOLILRL Overall DAL Scale Correlation with precollege score.050.093***.175***.126*** Correlation with end-of-first-year score.045.103***.183***.131*** Partial with end-of- first-year score controlling for precollege score.009.018.073**.051

9. NCS Correlations HOLILRL Overall DAL Scale Correlation with precollege score.256***.318***.349***.382*** Correlation with end-of-first-year score.271***.350***.382***.414*** Partial with end-of- first-year score controlling for precollege score.125***.180***.196***.211***

10. PATL Correlations HOLILRL Overall DAL Scale Correlation with precollege score.163***.303***.327*** Correlation with end-of-first-year score.178***.343***.346***.359*** Partial with end-of- first-year score controlling for precollege score.086***.185***.163***.184***

11. Regression Coefficients CAAP CTTNCSPATL Overall DAL scale.028.150***.127*** Higher-order learning-.027.023-.019 Integrative learning.007.073**.113*** Reflective learning.060*.096***.069***

12. Discussion & Implications  DAL related to all three outcomes  Reflective learning uniquely affected all outcomes  Integrative learning—unique effects on 2  Higher-order learning—no unique effects  Institutions, faculty, & first-year students can do better  Better critical thinking tasks likely needed  DAL worked for all groups about equally

13. Future Research  More outcomes  More years  Critical thinking and similar measures

14. Thank you! Papers available online See me for a card