Student learning in higher education: a longitudinal analysis and faculty discussion

Answering a call put forth decades ago by the higher education community and the federal government, we investigated the impact of US college coursework on student learning gains. Students gained, on average, 3.72 points on a 66-item test of quantitative and scientific reasoning after experiencing 1.5 years of college. Gain scores were unrelated to the number of quantitative and scientific reasoning courses completed when controlling and not controlling for students’ personal characteristics. Unexpectedly, yet fortunately, gain scores showed no discernable difference when corrected for low test-taking effort, which indicated test-taking effort did not compromise the validity of the test scores. When gain scores were disaggregated by amount of completed coursework, the estimated gain scores of students with quantitative and scientific reasoning coursework were smaller than what quantitative and scientific reasoning faculty expected or desired. In sum, although students appear on average to be making gains in quantitative and scientific reasoning, there is not a strong relationship between learning gains and students’ quantitative and scientific reasoning coursework, and the gains are less than desired by faculty. We discuss implications of these findings for student learning assessment and learning improvement processes.     

Supporting the self-regulated use of retrieval practice: A higher education classroom experiment

This study investigated whether an instructional intervention can increase students’ self-regulated use of retrieval practice in a higher education classroom environment. A lab-experiment by Ariel and Karpicke (2017) revealed that strategy instructions improved students’ self-regulated use of retrieval practice and subsequent test performance. Our goal was to determine whether these effects generalize to a classroom environment using key concepts from marketing communication. We compared two groups on their self-regulated use of retrieval practice using an online environment. An experimental group (n = 58) received strategy instructions on retrieval practice and a control group (n = 58) received neutral instructions. Instructions were provided during sessions 1 and 2; no instructions were provided in a third, transfer session, measuring self-regulated use of retrieval practice. In sessions 1 and 2, no significant differences between groups were found. In the transfer session, the experimental group tested themselves more (Hypothesis 1) and displayed a larger number of (correct) retrieval attempts per key concept (Hypothesis 2) than the control group. No correlations were found with performance (Hypothesis 3). With our experiment, we took a first step in supporting students in their self-regulated use of retrieval practice in a classroom environment with complex materials.     

Self-regulated learning partially mediates the effect of self-regulated learning interventions on achievement in higher education: A meta-analysis

It is often assumed that interventions aimed at supporting students’ self-regulated learning (SRL) are effective for improving achievement because these interventions support SRL activity. In this study, meta-analytic structural equation modeling (MASEM) was used to test whether SRL activity indeed mediates the effect of SRL interventions on achievement in higher education. Contrary to popular belief, the results only provide evidence for partial mediation. Furthermore, three separate meta-analyses were performed to investigate the role of possible moderators of the relations between: (1) SRL interventions and achievement, (2) SRL interventions and SRL activity, and (3) SRL activity and achievement. Although SRL interventions were effective in improving SRL activity and achievement, most of the study, measurement, and intervention moderators did not explain significant variance of the investigated effect sizes. Other factors, such as task motivation and time on task, potentially influence the effectiveness of SRL interventions. Practical, theoretical and methodological implications are provided.     

A critique of the internship measurement scales in higher education

This article is a critical review of the internship measurement scales in higher education. Although the importance of internships is widely acknowledged in the literature, there is a scarcity of attempts to construct a scale to measure internship outcomes. In fact, a thorough examination of the internship literature reveals that there are only two internship measurement scales, which are relatively recent. It is a widespread practice that empirical studies in this area use job-related scales in their endeavour to measure internship-related constructs such as internship satisfaction and internship effectiveness. This is mostly due to the lack of available internship scales and partly due to the naive assumption that job-related scales can be somehow altered and may readily be adapted to internship-related contexts, disregarding the contextual and contractual differences between a job and an internship. This casts doubt on the validity of the findings in those studies. However, the valid measurement of internships is not only necessary to meet the highest academic standards but also to make evidence-based employability policies in higher education institutions. Therefore, this article aims to highlight the need to measure internship processes more effectively based on a sound method and bring this issue to the attention of the research community worldwide. To that end, the existing scales of internship are critically examined and areas for improvements are highlighted.     

Facilitating flexible learning by replacing classroom time with an online learning environment: A systematic review of blended learning in higher education

Higher education institutions are trying to provide more flexibility and individualization, which is mainly realized through the use of new technologies and implemented in online or blended learning designs. This systematic review aims to investigate the impact of replacing classroom time with an online learning environment. The meta-analysis (k = 21 effect sizes) applied strict inclusion criteria concerning research design, measurement of learning outcomes and implementation of blended learning. The estimated effect size (Hedge's g) was positive, although not significantly different from zero and the confidence interval [-0.13, 0.25], suggesting that overall differences between blended and conventional classroom learning are small, and, at best, very small negative or moderate positive effects are plausible. This means that despite a reduction in classroom time between 30 and 79 per cent, equivalent learning outcomes were found. Consequently, blended learning with reduced classroom time is not systematically more or less effective than conventional classroom learning.     

Exploring learning and fit in the transition from higher education to the labour market: A systematic review

The transition from higher education to the labour market is an important period for youngsters, characterised by extensive changes which act as triggers for learning. Furthermore, students’ educational background and the (in)congruence with their work context is important. Accordingly, the aim of this systematic review is to explore the role of learning and fit in the transition process. Results indicate that most emphasis is put on theoretical knowledge, communication, problem-solving, and learning skills. Although the perception on what has to be learned differs for employers, educators, and graduates, each group valued generic competences most. Results show that transfer can be experienced in three ways and the need for learning at work is stressed. Concerning fit, four types of fit are distinguished: vertical, horizontal, competence, and person-environment fit. Several personal background characteristics are shown to influence fit and findings indicate that fit has an influence on career progress and personal resources.     

Early childcare enrollment and the pursuit of higher education: A Canadian longitudinal study

This study examined the associations between childcare attendance among 550 children from 24 to 36 months of age and their enrollment in higher education in young adulthood. We conducted a propensity score matching analysis to control the selection bias for childcare attendance and estimated the average treatment effect for the treated on the odds of enrollment in higher education. Children who attended informal childcare (i.e., with a relative or nanny) were more likely to pursue higher education in young adulthood relative to children in formal childcare (i.e., center-based or licensed home-based childcare). However, heterogeneity in our sample revealed that attending formal childcare increased the probability of enrollment in higher education for children from low-income and non-employed families. This study suggests that attending informal childcare in Canada in 1994–1995 benefited all children over 20 years later, whereas attending formal childcare appears to be protective for children from more disadvantaged families.     

Research issues in evaluating learning pattern development in higher education

This article concludes the special issue of Studies in Educational Evaluation concerned with “Evaluating learning pattern development in higher education” by discussing research issues that have emerged from the previous contributions. The article considers in turn: stability versus variability in learning patterns; old versus new analytic techniques; handling missing observations; measures of effect size; predispositions versus processes; and why it should be so hard to improve the quality of student learning in higher education.     

Can students within higher education learn to be resilient and,educationally speaking,does it matter?

This paper presents a critical appraisal of resilience and its associated concepts within the context of higher education. It addresses wide‐ranging definitions of resilience, encompassing endurance and adaptability, and seeks to understand how these definitions impact on the learning experiences of students. As theoretical and empirical work on resilience has burgeoned in terms of adolescent experiences of education, the rise of interest has not been matched by that in studies of adult learning, particularly within university settings. This is despite the growing importance of retention studies, which have clear and important links to how well students manage their learning ability in adversity. Realization of the potential embodied in this concept to alter for the better, together with ways of conceptualizing learning and teaching, however, will remain constrained unless teachers within higher education pay attention to the resilience narratives that individual students present, and how teaching strategies can affect their learning trajectories. The paper examines some factors that impact on students’ learning within higher education, and theorizes how teaching and assessment may be adapted to promote resilience in all its forms.     

A systematic review of the role of learning analytics in enhancing feedback practices in higher education

Learning analytics (LA) offers new opportunities to enrich feedback practices in higher education, but little is understood about the ways different LA can enhance feedback practices for educators and students. This systematic literature review maps the current state of implementation of LA to improve feedback practices in technology-mediated learning environments in higher education. We used strict inclusion criteria to select relevant studies that have investigated the role of LA on feedback practices. To identify common features of LA for feedback studies, we coded relevant publications using an analytical framework that identifies four key dimensions of LA systems: what (types of data), how (analytic methods), why (objectives), and how educators and students are served by LA (stakeholders). Based on findings, we propose a conceptual framework that can guide the implementation of LA for feedback systems and also suggest future empirical research in this area.     

Supporting small-group learning using multiple Web 2.0 tools: A case study in the higher education context

In this single-case study, small groups of learners were supported by use of multiple social software tools and face-to-face activities in the context of higher education. The aim of the study was to explore how designed learning activities contribute to students' learning outcomes by studying probabilistic dependencies between the variables. Explorative Bayesian classification analysis revealed that the best predictors of good learning outcomes were wiki-related activities. According to the Bayesian dependency model, students who were active in conceptualizing issues by taking photos were also active blog reflectors and collaborative knowledge builders in their group. In general, the results indicated that interaction between individual and collective actions likely increased individual knowledge acquisition during the course.     

Accounting for structure and agency in ‘close-up’ research on teaching,learning and assessment in higher education

This paper examines research into teaching, learning and assessment (TLA) in higher education in terms of structure and agency. It argues that although issues of structure and agency are seen as crucial in social theory, they are very little discussed in research into TLA in higher education and that a consideration of structure and agency raises some important questions about this research and the quality of the explanations that it generates. It is therefore time to reconsider this research from the standpoint of structure and agency so that more sophisticated approaches to researching, and generating explanations of, teaching, learning and assessment in higher education can be developed.     

Assessing students’ development in learning approaches according to initial learning profiles: A person-oriented perspective

Research regarding the development of students’ learning approaches have at times reported unexpected or lack of expected changes. The current study explores the idea of differential developments in learning approaches according to students’ initial learning profiles as a possible explanation for these outcomes. A learning profile is conceived as the degree to which students use aspects of deep and surface approaches in their learning process and taking into account the dynamic interrelations between these aspects. Two cohorts of students in a teacher-training course-module completed questionnaires measuring their learning approaches, in a pre-test post-test design. Analyses on the whole sample indicated few significant changes in students’ learning approaches during the course-module. Only a significant decrease in the deep motive subscale was found. Hierarchical cluster-analysis revealed four groups of students with specific initial learning profiles: a deep approach profile, a surface approach profile, an all-low profile and an all-high profile. Using a regressor variable approach, significant differences in growth were found for the initial learning profiles on the surface approach to learning and the deep strategy scale, even after controlling for other significant background variables such as students’ academic discipline and gender. These results suggest that unexpected developments in students’ learning approaches, or lack of significant changes at a whole-group level, may be partially due to dynamic (contradictory) tendencies at the sub-group level. Findings point towards the need of looking at approaches to learning at a more fine-grained level.     

An exploration into student learning mobility in higher education among the Arabian Gulf Cooperation Council countries

This paper explores the dynamics of the internationalisation of higher education in the Gulf region. Exploring the presence of foreign universities, international curricula, programmes, students and academic staff, it pays particular attention to the learning mobility of students from the region. Consequently, the aim of this piece of research is to explore the current learning mobility among the GCC countries. The study makes use of secondary data from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) on the global flow of tertiary-level students and a survey conducted especially for this study among students from the Gulf region. Considering the literature explored and based on data from UIS and the survey conducted, it seems that higher education in the Gulf region has expanded and that the presence of foreign universities, international curricula, programmes, students and academic staff is a positive experience overall. Although learning mobility has been stimulated in the region, much of it is regionally driven. It seems that the growth of inward learning mobility is not proportional to the growth of foreign universities in the region. The growth of outward learning mobility is predominantly driven by scholarships and the potential for growth on inward and outward learning mobility seems likely to increase in the future. The Gulf countries may enhance learning mobility through multilateral learning and research cooperation by means of scholarships and regulated commercial activities. To emerge as an international education hub, the Gulf countries must become an attractive destination for students from outside of the region as well. The region may wish to draw relevant lessons from regions such as the European Union to stimulate learning mobility.     

Understanding the higher education student in Europe: a comparative analysis

Higher education is of considerable importance to policymakers across Europe. Indeed, it is viewed as a key mechanism for achieving a range of economic, social and political goals. Nevertheless, despite this prominence within policy, we have no clear understanding of the extent to which conceptualisations of ‘the student’ are shared across the continent. To start to redress this gap, this article explores four key aspects of contemporary higher education students’ lives, considering the extent to which they can be considered as, variously, consumers, workers, family members and political actors. On the basis of this evidence, it argues that, despite assumptions on the part of European policymakers that there are now large commonalities in the experiences of students across Europe – evident in pronouncements about Erasmus mobility and the operations of the European Higher Education Area – significant differences exist both between and within individual nation-states.     

Validity evidence for the Experiences of Teaching and Learning Questionnaire (ETLQ) in evaluations of quality learning: A systematic critical literature review

The use of the Experiences of Teaching & Learning Questionnaire (ETLQ) for the evaluation of learning quality in higher education has been expanding during the last decade, thus a review of the instrument’s validity evidence is warranted. The design of the study was a systematic critical literature review. We evaluated the strength of the validity evidence of 17 included studies with a quality appraisal framework reflecting current standards for educational testing. The evidence supporting the central validity assumptions of the ETLQ scales is currently weak to moderate and incomplete. Thus, caution against the uncritical use of ETQL scores for high-stakes educational decisions is warranted. The appraisal framework used was useful for creating an overview of the evidence. However, attention to more general aspects of study quality, and consensus deliberations with three to four raters was also important for sufficiently reliable appraisal of the evidence.     

The development of learning patterns of student teachers: a cross-sectional and longitudinal study

Research on learning pattern development during pre-service teacher education is scarce. In a cross-sectional (study 1) and longitudinal study (study 2) the development of learning patterns of student teachers is analysed. Participants in study 1 were 646 first-year and 350 third-year student teachers enrolled in an initial pre-service teacher education programme. 236 student teachers participated in study 2. Vermunt’s’ Inventory of Learning Styles was used to assess differences in learning patterns. By examining intra-individual changes in learning patterns we expected to find developmental trends within learning patterns. Results show that meaning oriented learning increases over time and undirected learning decreases. Some learning patterns are however more subject to change than others. The development of learning patterns was found to be relative and dependent on the learning pattern which students have already mastered in the first-year of a teacher education programme.     

Explaining self-efficacy development in an authentic higher education learning context of role-play simulations

Role-play simulations have become commonly used active learning methods to teach about complex, dynamic political processes. However, an understanding of why there is variation in student learning during such simulations is lacking. This study focuses on the development of student self-efficacy in negotiating over the period of one simulation. We investigate to what extent self-efficacy development can be explained by the individual characteristics of students. This study further contributes to the field by including perceived student cohesiveness as a social aspect of the simulation. Data from 84 participants were collected during a four-day Model United Nations (MUN) simulation. Self-efficacy in negotiating was measured using 12 measurement times, and the data analysed using multilevel growth modelling. Results show a statistically significant linear increase in self-efficacy in negotiating over the period of the simulation. Compared to the time factor, individual characteristics explain variation in self-efficacy development to a larger extent, of which perceived student cohesiveness contributes the most.     

Coping experience among students in higher education

The study examines the coping strategies among 130 undergraduate college and university students with learning disabilities (LD) and 146 students without learning disabilities (NLD). Students completed self‐reported instruments designed to measure stress, support and strategies. The findings revealed that students without LD reported higher work stress, higher combined stress and more social support than did students with LD. Students without LD were more task orientated and perceived more support than students with LD, while students with LD used more emotional coping strategies than NLD students. Differences were also obtained regarding age and gender. The study highlights the importance of further investigations with a larger sample and the support sources of students with LD, and suggests developing task‐oriented coping strategies designed especially for students with LD.

Coping experience among students in higher education

All authors

Tali Heiman Corresponding author: Department of Education and Psychology, The Open University, 108 Ravutski Street, Raanana, 43107, Israel. Email: talihe@openu.ac.il View all notes & Dafna Kariv

https://doi.org/10.1080/0305569042000310354

Published online:

07 October 2010

Background variables of participants

CSVDisplay Table