Epistemologies, conceptions of learning, and study practices in medicine and psychology

Abstract

The subjects (N = 175), freshmen and fifth year students in psychology (n = 59) and medicine (n = 116), described their modes of studying by answering open-ended questions and Likert-type questions, presented to them within a task booklet. They were first asked to write down their own subjective definitions of learning. Scales to classify the answers were adopted from Lonka et al. (1990). Second, subjects were given a comprehension monitoring probe adopted from Ryan (1984). Responses were analysed to determine the specific comprehension criteria the student employed. Third, students rated a set of 71 statements concerning learning styles, regulation of learning, and conceptions of learning (Entwistle & Ramsden, 1983;Vermunt & van Rijswijk, 1988). Embedded in the last set of statements were seven items that were used to classify students as dualists or relativists (Perry, 1968;Ryan, 1984). It was found that constructivist conceptions of learning were the most typical of (advanced) psychology students, whereas learning was more often seen as intake of knowledge by the medical students. Highest dualism scores were obtained by the first year students, especially medical students. In general, dualists were more likely to report knowledge comprehension criteria to test their understanding than were relativists, and dualists' conceptions of learning were also more passive. Four principal components were identified that reflected qualitatively different approaches to learning and knowledge: externally regulated and reproduction-directed learning (PC 1), self-regulated, meaning-directed, and goal-oriented learning (PC2), constructivist epistemology (PC3), and active professional orientation (PC4). Medical students scored higher on variables related to PC1 and PC4, whereas psychology students scored higher on scales associated with PC2 and PC3.

Congruence and friction between learning and teaching

“…Students' learning conceptions, or mental models of learning, determine what they understand by "learning" and in what way they interpret learning objectives, learning tasks and teaching measures (Säljö, 1979;Lonka & Lindblom-Ylänne, 1996). These mediating interpretations and perceptions, then, lead to the learning activities students employ (e.g.…”

“…Various studies showed strong relations among the learning activities and strategies higher education students employed and their learning conceptions and orientations (e.g. Lonka & Lindblom-Ylänne, 1996).…”

The struggle to understand: exploring medical students' experiences of learning and understanding during a basic science course

“…The present study however, also shows clear parallels with previous research on student learning. Understanding as 'knowing the catalogue' resembles a surface approach and a reproduction-directed learning pattern with a focus on remembering as many details as possible, whereas understanding as 'experiencing an integrated whole', in which students focus on making connections, resembles a deep approach and meaning-directed learning pattern (Marton, Hounsell, and Entwistle 2005;Säljö 1976a, 1976b;Lonka and Lindblom-Ylänne 1996;Vermunt and Vermetteren 2004;Vermunt 2005). The research approach adopted in the present study in which we followed students during a nine-week course collecting data continually, made it possible to see how students gradually developed their understandings and to see the extent to which they achieved a deep understanding of the topics studied.…”

“…However, the relationship between memorizing and understanding has been shown to be more complex, and students aiming for a deep understanding have also been found to use memorization as a learning strategy (Kember 1996;Entwistle and Entwistle 2003;Marton, Wen, and Wong 2005). Other researchers described student learning patterns more broadly, including aspects such as study strategies, conceptions and regulation of learning (Vermunt 2005, Vermunt andVermetten 2004;Lonka and Lindblom-Ylänne 1996). These studies show four different learning patterns that students adopt in relation to specific learning environments: meaning-directed, reproduction-directed, application-directed and undirected learning patterns.…”

“…Medical students are more likely to be externally regulated and focus on reproduction of knowledge than, for instance, psychology students (Lonka and Lindblom-Ylänne 1996). It may also be a reflection of how teachers and course leaders presented the subject pathology.…”