The purpose of the present study is to gain more insight into the relationship between students' approaches to learning and students' quantitative learning outcomes, as a function of the different components of problem-solving that are measured within the assessment. Data were obtained from two sources: the revised two factor study process questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F) and students' scores in their final multiple-choice exam. Using a model of cognitive components of problem-solving translated into specifications for assessment, the multiple-choice questions were divided into three categories. Three aspects of the knowledge structure that can be targeted by assessment of problem-solving were used as the distinguishing categories. These were: understanding of concepts; understanding of the principles that link concepts; and linking of concepts and principles to application conditions and procedures. The 133 second year law school students in our sample had slightly higher scores for the deep approach than for the surface approach to learning. Plotting students' approaches to learning indicated that many students had low scores for both deep and surface approaches to learning. Correlational analysis showed no relationship between students' approaches to learning and the components of problem-solving being measured within the multiple choice assessment. Several explanations are discussed.

Research into students' perceptions of their learning environments reveals the impact of these perceptions on the way students cope with these learning environments. Consequently, students' perceptions affect the results of their learning. This study aims to investigate whether students in a new learning environment (NLE) perceive it to be more constructivist when compared with the perceptions students have of a conventional lecture-based environment. Using a questionnaire consisting of seven key factors of constructivist learning environments, the results show that students in the NLE perceive it to be more constructivist when compared to the perceptions of students in a conventional lecture-based environment. The difference was statistically significant for four of the seven factors. According to the effect size, as measured by the d-index, the difference in perception between the two groups was greatest for the factor 'conceptual conflicts and dilemmas'.In recent years, education has frequently been blamed for graduates not being sufficiently able to apply their knowledge to solve complex problems in a working context. The development and implementation of instructional practices that will foster students' skills to communicate, think and reason effectively, make judgements about the accuracy of large volumes of information, solve complex problems and work collaboratively in diverse teams, remains an important challenge for today's higher education (Pellegrino et al., 2001). New Learning Environments (NLEs), based on constructivist theory, claim to develop an educational setting to reach this goal, making the students'

The purposes of this study are to gain more insight into students' actual preferences and perceptions of assessment, into the effects of these on their performances when different assessment formats are used, and into the different cognitive process levels assessed. Data were obtained from two sources. The first was the scores on the assessment of learning outcomes, consisting of open ended and multiple choice questions measuring the students' abilities to recall information, to understand concepts and principles, and to apply knowledge in new situations. The second was the adapted Assessment Preferences Inventory (API) which measured students' preferences as a pre-test and perceptions as a post-test. Results show that, when participating in a New Learning Environment (NLE), students prefer traditional written assessment and questions which are as closed as possible, assessing a mix of cognitive processes. Some relationships, but not all the expected ones, were found between students' preferences and their assessment scores. No relationships were found between students' perceptions of assessment and their assessment scores. Additionally, only forty percent of the students had perceptions of the levels of the cognitive processes assessed that matched those measured by the assessments. Several explanations are discussed. G. van de Watering

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This pilot study measures university students' perceptions of graded frequent assessments in an obligatory statistics course using a novel questionnaire. Relations between perceptions of frequent assessments, intrinsic motivation and grades were also investigated. A factor analysis of the questionnaire revealed four factors, which were labelled value, formative function, positive effects and negative effects. The results showed that most students valued graded frequent assessments as a study motivator. A modest number of students experienced positive or negative effects from assessments and grades received. Less than half of the students used the results of frequent assessments in their learning process. The perception of negative effects (lower self-confidence and more stress) negatively mediated the relation between grades and intrinsic motivation. It is argued that communication with students regarding the purpose and benefits of frequent assessments could mitigate these negative effects.

The purpose of this study was to get more insight in the effects of written assessment tasks integrated in a problem-based learning environment. Both the in¯uence on students' performances and students' perceptions were investigated. Students' ®nal exam results were used to ®nd out whether students who make the assessment tasks do better than students who do not. Answers from questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were used to discover the most important concerns in students' and teachers' perceptions of the assessment tasks. The results indicate that making the assessment tasks had positive in¯uence on the students' overall performance. From the questionnaires and interviews it appears that both the students and the teachers see the bene®ts of the assessment tasks. It is concluded that small steps in the change of the assessment system can result in relatively big changes in students' learning and results.

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Educational innovation often builds on existing practices, and focuses on improvement, rather than a radical change. One current example of educational innovation is Challenge-Based Learning (CBL). At university [blinded] the approach is a curriculum wide implementation of CBL based on a integrated programme that combines implementation of bottom-up innovation projects with research. The result of this research contributes to the translation of CBL to practice, thus helping curriculum designers and teachers in designing and executing their courses. In the process evidence is collected about principles of CBL, learning behaviour, learning outcomes, and didactical aspects of CBL, such as coaching and self-directed learning, assessment, pedagogies, and design of challenges, and facilitating structures. The goal of this paper is to explore the development of a research agenda, which aligns research and practice, and to contribute to evidence for successful CBL implementation as result. The CBL research agenda shows which topics and aspects of CBL are addressed by research and practice, and which are overlooked. It is a systematic way of collecting strategic and practical problems related to CBL implementation, and how these are translated into research questions, methods, and results. The CBL research agenda leads to dialogue, which in turn guides our CBL programme. This integrated programme, including the research agenda is governed by a Taskforce CBL and supported by programme management, and a university wide research community. This approach enables the curriculum wide implementation and research of CBL as a concept for educating engineers of the future and strengthening on-campus education.