Conceptions of learning: The current scene

A Framework for Technology Education Curricula Which Emphasizes Intellectual Processes

Improving student learning: through assessment and evaluation

To promote a change in epistemic beliefs in in-service university teachers and a consequent improvement of their teaching methods to encourage students to take a more sophisticated approach to learning their subjects, I explored the relationships between epistemic beliefs and approaches to teaching in a group of 111 lecturers across different disciplines at the University, Colombia, South America. This correlational research is based on epistemic metacognition research (Hofer & Pintrich, 1997) and phenomenography research (Marton & Booth, 1997). The methodology comprised quantitative and qualitative research techniques including the participation of a selected sample in face-to-face and online interventions. I also conducted two questionnaires, the Discipline-Focused Epistemic Beliefs Questionnaire (DEBQ) (Hofer, 2000) and the Approaches to Teaching Inventory (ATI) (Trigwell & Prosser, 2004). Furthermore, I carried out interviews that were later analysed according to phenomenographic principles. Based on the findings, I concluded that the DEBQ and the ATI are suitable in measuring epistemic belief and approaches to teaching in a university setting. As I found correlations between epistemic beliefs and approaches to teaching, I concluded that epistemic beliefs do play an important role and influence the way in which teachers approach their own teaching. Additionally, as there was a statistically significant decrease in the Information Transmission/Teacher-Focused Approach through the online intervention, and as epistemic beliefs and approaches to teaching are correlated, the results indicate the possibility of a change from naive to more sophisticated epistemic beliefs. The results also indicate the possibility of changing epistemic beliefs and approaches to teaching through an online intervention or facilitated by online learning environments. The results also indicate the possibility of changing approaches to teaching through short-term interventions as well.
Regarding disciplinary differences, lecturers did have different perceptions. I concluded that discipline did have an influence and an impact on epistemic beliefs and approaches to teaching. There was no statistically significant difference between genders or the number of years of experience. Finally, there were variations in lecturers‘ ways of experience learning, teaching, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), and knowledge. The description of lecturers' experiences of learning, teaching, ICTs, and knowledge shows 13 qualitatively distinct categories of descriptions. Also 13 holistic views, in a form of outcome space, were derived from their various ways of experiencing those phenomena.

Exploring the understanding of epistemic beliefs and approaches to teaching of in-service university teachers in Colombia, South America

Wisdom to act: the paedagogical and philosophical theory and practice for the education of practical theologians as commuunity leaders for social transformation

Higher Education (HE) has changed over the last 40 years, from providing higher level learning
for the elite to a provision of education for the wider population These changes must be accompanied by a
consideration of how teaching can promote effective learning in HE with the changed population of
students The aim of this thesis is to examine factors that affect students' learning in HE, and consider how
the teaching approaches of university lecturers can facilitate learning at a higher level Biggs' (1999) 3P
model is used as a starting point to examine the different aspects of teaching and learning Student factors
(for example, approaches to learning, concepts of ability, motivational orientation), the teaching context
(for example, the type of assessment, the extent to which teaching is constructively aligned), and the
training of lecturers in HE are all considered within the thesis The work informs educationalists and
policymakers who are concerned about effective teaching and learning in HE
Chapter One is a review of literature, looking at current issues within HE in the UK and exploring
theories and models that inform teaching and learning It provides the base for the current research
examining the main concepts: constructive alignment (Biggs, 1999), practice and variation (Fazey and
Marton, 2002), and the four conditions of learning (Bransford, Brown and Cocking, 2000) Chapter Two is
a detailed description of the instruments and methods utilized in the studies, and an examination of the
rationale, the procedure, and the scoring for each of the instruments
Chapters Three through Six report the studies for this thesis Chapter Three discusses a study that
examines the effect of a particular teaching approach, utilizing an oral examination final assessment, on
students' approaches to learning and motivational orientation By emphasising an assessment methodology
that required a deep approach to learning, first year students were predominantly intrinsically motivated,
and maintained their level of deep approach to learning throughout the module Previous literature had
found decreases in deep approaches to learning when assessment took place
Chapter Four investigated how students' concepts of ability (i e a fixed or incremental concept)
affected other psychological variables associated with learning Its findings support the work of Dweck and
colleagues (1995; 1998; 1999), with relationships established between concepts of ability and motivational
orientation with approaches to learning A high incremental concept of ability score was significantly and
positively related to intrinsic motivation and to a deep approach to learning However, these relationships
were not strong, and no relationship was found with concepts of ability and perceptions of competence, as
was hypothesised
In Chapter Five, constructive alignment was examined in a variety of teaching settings Of interest
was the extent to which a strongly-aligned teaching approach that fosters deep approaches to learning had
an impact on students' approaches to learning and motivation Two studies are reported Both consider how
strongly the teaching methodology, assessment, and learning outcomes align, and how well these fostered a
deep approach to learning The first study, with modules classified as being strongly aligned and fostering
deep approaches to learning, had students who scored significantly higher on deeper approaches to learning
and intrinsic motivation than those in modules with low alignment that emphasised a surface approach In
the second study, changes over time in student factors, related to teaching approach and alignment, were
recorded
In Chapter Six, two studies are reported The first measured, across a course for teachers in HE,
teachers' approaches to teaching and beliefs about learning teachers' subject areas After a three-day
induction, the participants significantly increased their scores for a personal epistemology that recognizes
justification of knowledge, and a teaching approach that encourages conceptual change in a student-centred
environment The second part of this chapter investigated the impact these lecturers' perspectives had on
their students' learning Strong positive relationships were found between the teachers' and students'
personal epistemologies, and also with the approach to teaching that fostered conceptual change Students
scored higher on a deep approach to learning when their teachers had a conceptual change approach
Chapter Seven presents the overall discussion of the most significant findings, and the implications of these
findings for educational practitioners and policy-makers Future research questions and issues that arise
from the findings are also highlighted

Creating an effective learning environment in higher education

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Creating an effective learning environment in higher education