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Know
thyself: How your attitude to learning may affect your
educational performance
There
is a growing interest in understanding how people like you learn. As
psychologists you will probably come across some of the research
literature - particularly if you develop an interest in educational
psychology. Here are some research findings that may help you
understand your own approach to learning. Having read this section you
may decide to change your approach to your studies, particularly if you
think you are an extreme example of one of the categories. Ideally you
should aim to develop an approach to your studies that draws upon the
strengths of each style, whilst avoiding some of the more negative
attributes. At the very least this page may help you understand why you
are being exposed to a variety of learning experiences.
Can
you identify your learning strategy?
A
group of American researchers has suggested that there are five
different types of learning strategy exhibited by adult learners. This
is important because knowing what type of learner you are may help you
understand how you can best utilize the learning resources and teaching
experiences offered on your course.
The
researchers administered a questionnaire (the Self-Knowledge Inventory
of Lifelong Learning Strategies ) to 1,143 students in Alberta and used
cluster analysis and group interviews to collect supplementary
information to characterize learning patterns and preferences from
representative students in each of the five types of learning
strategies.
I
have gone through the report and tried to extract a flavor of each
learning strategy. You may recognise yourself in one of the groups. I
have also tried to alert you to some of the strengths and weaknesses of
each strategy. You already appreciate that your program of psychology
courses utilize a variety of teaching techniques, ranging from
conventional lectures to group work which involves cooperative work
with other students.
You
may already realize that you are more comfortable in some learning
situations than others. For example, you may prefer lectures to working
with other students in groups on a Case Report. The reason for this may
be your personal learning strategy. If you can begin to understand how
learning strategy interacts with particular teaching methods and
experiences, you may be able to get more out of teaching situations
that you don't personally feel at ease with. Don't
give up on a particular type of teaching situation,
try to understand what it offers you. It will almost certainly be a
valuable educational experience that you would have rejected if left to
your own devices and desires.
I
am
conscious that my description of the five learning strategies reads a
bit like an astrology column in a newspaper. You may recognise yourself
in one or several of the categories. I don't know if learning
strategies are stable or change with time or situation - I bet they do.
Nor do I know how well the categories would translate across cultures.
But this research may help you & that's what matters in the
long run.
You
can read a report on this research online - Identifying
groups of learners through the use of learning strategies by
Kolody et al, 27th Annual SCUTREA conference proceedings 1997
- Navigators
locate and use the
best information. They tend to plan a course for their studies and
stick to it. They tend to structure or process information so that it
can be better stored and retrieved. The researchers found that these
tended to be the students with highest grade point average. A clear
structure and organization of material is crucial for these people. If
you are in this group you will probably be interested in the Aims and
Learning Objectives for your course. You will probably be aware of the
required reading for the course and the supporting web site.
I would guess that you will do well on the exam at the end of the
course, particularly the multiple choice section. But I do have a word
of warning! Try to broaden your reading and discuss ideas with other
students. The 'Points to Ponder' inserts are designed to give you
jumping-off points for discussion. This will be particularly important
in the second and third year of your course when you will be expected
to show evidence of imagination, insight and synthesis. See Essay Writing:
How do I do it, and why did I get that mark?
- Monitors
tend to be older
students who make learning plans, check
to see if they are on task and compare their progress to their learning
plan. This group tends to avoid distractions and set time aside for
learning. They tend to rely on recommended learning resources, books
etc. rather than discussions with fellow students. If you are in this
group take heed of my comments to Navigators above.
- Critical
Thinkers use mental
images and memories to facilitate problem solving. They like
opportunities for individuality and creativity in assignments, as well
as opportunities for hands-on learning and experimentation. This group
of people place relatively little emphasis on memorization and do
better on open-ended questions and problem-solving activities than
answering factual questions. You may find that the 'Points to Ponder'
inserts have captured your attention. If this description fits your
learning style, you may be having problems assimilating the sheer
amount of information on the Biological Bases of Behavior course. Fear
not! Your time will come in the second and third years when much more
emphasis is placed on your ability to show critical analysis of
material and evidence of imagination, insight and synthesis. See Essay Writing:
How do I do it, and why did I get that mark?. I would urge
you to take a look at the Aims and learning Objectives for your course
and get a copy of the recommended text !
- Engagers
love to learn. They use
lists to help memorization. They tend to do best when they are actively
engaged in a meaningful way with the material and therefore excel on
projects based on their individual interests. They tend to do well on
group projects, particularly when the group dynamics reinforce the
learning strategy of reward / enjoyment these people thrive on. You may
find that the 'Points to Ponder' inserts have captured your attention.
If you are lucky enough to belong to this group I expect you will pass
the course with flying colors and you may have utilized the opportunity
offered by the web
site to explore supplementary material that especially
interests you. A word of warning! Don't let your enthusiasm for a topic
carry you away so that you don't have sufficient time to cover aspects
of the course that are less interesting to you. Check that you have
covered everything that may appear in the exam by referring to the Aims
and learning Objectives for your course.
- Networkers
engage in lots of
discussion and debate with other students. Interaction with students
and lecturers is the key to learning for this group. They excel in
brainstorming sessions, teamwork and discussion of opposing or
different viewpoints. The 'Points to Ponder' inserts has probably
sparked off this type of discussion. If this description fits your
learning style, you may be having problems assimilating the sheer
amount of factual information on the Biological Bases of Behavior
course. You may have found that the various bars and clubs around
Plymouth offer a more congenial atmosphere for your preferred learning
strategy. But there is hope - you have just the sort of skills,
aptitudes and approach to life that employers are crying out for.
Believe me they want people who can relate to other people - the market
for anoraked nerds who know all about how a fly finds its food and a
mate is severely restricted. Your time will come, there are plenty of
opportunities to work in groups during the three years you are on this
course. Just make sure you get through the first year by using the web site
for this course and take time out to study the syllabus for your
course. Good luck & mine's a Guiness!
Some
general points about approaches to learning
I'm
not an educational psychologist but there are some generally accepted
do's and don'ts. For example
- Do adopt a Deep learning approach
- Don't use a Surface or Shallow
learning approach
| Deep
learning approach |
Surface
or shallow learning approach |
| Develop personal understanding
|
Reproduce content
'parrot-fashion' |
| Relate new information to
previous
knowledge and experience |
Passive acceptance of ideas
and
information |
| Link ideas together using
integrating principles |
Lack of recognition of guiding
concepts, principles & patterns |
| Relate evidence to conclusions
|
Focus learning on assessment
requirements |
How
you view learning may affect your performance
Do
you think that what you learn is under your own control and are you
doing it because it is intrinsically rewarding? In other words do you
view learning as self-regulatory and intrinsically rewarding? Or, do
you think that lecturers are responsible for teaching you, and they
they control the rewards and punishments in the learning situation? In
other words do you view learning as externally controlled and
extrinsically rewarding?
Research
indicates that students who rely on self-regulation and intrinsic
reward are more effective learners than those who believe learning is
under external control and extrinsic reward. There is evidence that
learners can
improve their performance by modifying their beliefs about the forces
that control their learning. |
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