Antecedents of college students' study deficiencies: the relationship between course features and students' study activities

Abstract

Students entering institutions of higher learning have been observed to be deficient in the skills and dispositions necessary for engaging in sustained autonomous study. Evidence from investigations comparing instructional features and students' study activities across different courses and grade levels suggests that (a) particular features of courses may act to prompt or inhibit the development of proficiency at academic studying; and (b) the difficulties experienced by postsecondary students may be traced to certain discontinuties between characteristics of courses at the secondary versus postsecondary levels. These discontinuities can be described in terms of three dimensions: (a) differences in the demands made on particular study activities associated with different coursework requirements; (b) the degree to which instructors provide supportive practices designed to facilitate or sustain students' productive study activities; and (c) the prevalance of teaching strategies designed to compensate students for their study deficiencies. Using evidence from extant research on studying and results from recent investigation of secondary-level courses, the claim is made that particular patterns of instructorimplemented demands (workload, test difficulty, and latitude for self-direction) and compensations (test review practices, overlap between test items and instructor handouts, and the presence of 'safety nets') might account for deficiencies in the study activities of postsecondary graduates. Further, improving the level of preparedness of secondary-level graduates for the demands associated with higher education courses is discussed in terms of the need for the provision of particular support practices (e.g., feedback, clear performance expectations, and guided practice) in secondary-level courses.

Interrelationships among students' study activities, self‐concept of academic ability, and achievement as a function of characteristics of high‐school biology courses

“…Teachers who provide students with handouts containing test questions or answers that will appear on a subsequent unit test, for example, may be acting with the intention of helping students and minimizing failure. However, provisions of this kind seem to discourage students from engaging in active, diligent, generative study activities on their own, and may even impede the development of competence at autonomous learning associated with academic success at subsequent grade levels (Thomas et al, 1991). That the presence of compensatory practices is widespread at the secondary school level (Sanford, 1987;Strage et al, 1987), and that differences between supports and com-…”

Secondary school students' conceptions of assessment and feedback

“…The biggest changes are at transitions from primary to secondary school (Moni, van Kraayenoord, & Baker, 2002) and secondary to tertiary (Thomas, Bol, & Warkentin, 1991) due to students encountering different assessment purposes, routines and procedures. Moni et al found that secondary students' conceptions do not develop in uniform ways towards a shared understanding.…”

Les effets perçus d’un atelier d’efficience cognitive sur le changement de stratégies d’apprentissage d’étudiants universitaires

“…Le nombre d'étudiants qui entrent à l'université avec une préparation insuffisante, des déficits en matière d'habiletés d'apprentissage et de dispositions nécessaires à un engagement soutenu et autonome à l'étude est au contraire en augmentation (Agar et Knopfmacher, 1995;Thomas, Bol et Warkenstin, 1991). Des études indiquent que ces lacunes entraînent des progressions inadéquates durant la première année universitaire (Raaheim, Wankowski et Radford, 1991;Tait et Entwistle, 1996).…”