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 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.”

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 &

conceptsFacts 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 UniversityOpen UP and SRHE, BuckinghamEspecially Chapter 2 for theory of “Constructive alignment”

PROSSER,M. & TRIGWELL,K, 1999,Understanding Learning & Teaching: The Experience in Higher EducationOpen UP and SRHE, BuckinghamEspecially 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