Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander university students' conceptions of formal learning and experiences of informal learning

This paper describes an investigationof conceptions of learning held by 22 Aboriginal andTorres Strait Islander students from threeuniversities in Queensland, Australia. Other areasinvestigated were students' experiences of informallearning, their reasons for studying and thestrategies they used to learn. Research intoconceptions of learning is gaining impetus and currentbeliefs include the premise that approaches tolearning adopted by university students, and hencelearning outcomes, are closely related to theirconceptions of learning. There is substantial researchfocused on Aboriginal learning styles in earlychildhood and primary school which indicates thatAboriginal children prefer to learn in a practical wayas well as through observation and imitation and trialand error. Very little research has focusedspecifically on Aboriginal university students'conceptions of learning. Results of this study foundthat these students view and approach formaluniversity learning in much the same way as otheruniversity students and most hold quantitativeconceptions of learning. The most interesting resultwas the difference between students' conceptions offormal learning and their experiences of informallearning. Many students' experiences of informallearning were grounded in practical activities orexhibited a cultural focus, however, most formallearning is not dependent upon practical or culturalknowledge. It is proposed that formal learning forIndigenous students recognise and include anIndigenous perspective such as integrating, whereappropriate, practical strategies for learning. Wealso suggest that Indigenous students be helped todevelop conceptions that will enable them to learnformal, theoretical material successfully.     

Development of first-year students' conceptions of essay writing

Findings are presented from a small-scalelongitudinal study of first-year psychologystudents' learning. Three developmentalhierarchies were derived in the analysis of theinterview data, which described differentaspects of the variation in students' accountsof their conceptions of essay writing. Althoughthe findings did suggest that the students madesome development in their conceptions, itseemed that by the end of the study many ofthem were still unable to describe what wasexpected for their essays in a way which fullymapped onto their tutors' accounts. Theeffects of advice given to students about theiressay writing were also investigated. Studentswere given help that seemed relevant todeveloping their conceptions, but there waslittle evidence in the interviews that thismade an impact on their learning and studentsoften described minimal engagement with adviceand feedback. Two case studies are presented togive a more holistic perspective on thestudents' accounts of their essay writing.These cases suggest the limitations of simplecategorisations, as they emphasise the complexand idiosyncratic nature of students'development.     

Towards university lectures' conceptions of student learning

A range of studies conducted since the late 1970s have sought to describe students' conceptions of learning, and more recently, teachers' conceptions of teaching. These studies, using what has come to be known as the phenomenographic approach, have identified conceptions of teaching, and conceptions of learning which have had a significant impact on the teaching-learning culture of higher education institutions in many parts of the world. The study reported here contributes to our understanding of student learning, describing it from the viewpoint of lectures from a range of disciplines. From the viewpoint of these lectures student learning was seen variously as: acquiring knowledge through the use of study skills; the absorption of new knowledge and being able to explain and apply it; the development of thinking skills and the ability to reason; developing the competencies of beginning professionals; changing personal attitudes, beliefs or behaviours in responding to different phenomena; and a participative pedagogic experience. The relationship between these conceptions and previously identified conceptions of teaching and learning is discussed.     

The influences of conceptions of mathematics and self‐directed learning skills on university students' achievement in mathematics

This study tested the mediating role of self‐directed learning skills (SDL) between students’ conceptions of mathematics and their achievement in mathematics using a structural equation model. Data were collected using the “Conceptions of Mathematics Questionnaire” and the “Self‐Rating Scale of Self‐Directed Learning”, together with students’ achievement in mathematics. A sample of 440 first year university students at King Saud University participated in the study. The findings confirm the moderating role of students’ self‐directed learning skills between their conceptions of mathematics and their achievement in mathematics. Students who have a highly fragmented conception of mathematics tended to have low SDL skills, and in turn low mathematics achievement (partial mediation), whereas students who have a highly cohesive conception of mathematics tended to have high self‐directed learning skills, and in turn high mathematics achievement (full mediation). Mathematics educators should be aware that students’ conceptions of mathematics may be influential, but not sufficient to predict achievement in mathematics. Equipping students with appropriate conceptions of mathematics and self‐directed learning skills is key to enhancing their performance in mathematics.     

Using metaphor to probe students' conceptions of chemistry learning

Changing students' views of themselves as learners and the learning strategies they use requires methods to make their views regarding teaching, learning and their roles as learners explicit to themselves and to teachers. This was an interpretive study that investigated students' metaphors for themselves as learners within a Year 11 chemistry classroom. Students' metaphors were found to be congruent with their views of learning and their learning processes as evidenced from multiple data sources. In making students' views explicit, metaphors can provide valuable information for practicing teachers and researchers who aim to investigate and enhance students' learning processes and encourage metacognition.     

Changing middle school students' conceptions of matter and molecules

The purpose of this study was two-fold: (1) to understand the conceptual frameworks that sixth-grade students use to explain the nature of matter and molecules, and (2) to assess the effectiveness of two alternative curriculum units in promoting students' scientific understanding. The study involved 15 sixth-grade science classes taught by 12 teachers in each of two successive years. Data were collected through paper-and-pencil tests and clinical interviews. The results revealed that students' entering conceptions differed from scientific conceptions in various ways. These differences included molecular conceptions concerning the nature, arrangement, and motion of molecules as well as macroscopic conceptions concerning the nature of matter and its physical changes. The results also showed that the students taught by the revised unit in Year 2 performed significantly better than the students taught by the original commercial curriculum unit in Year 1 for 9 of the 10 conceptual categories. Implications for science teaching and curriculum development are discussed.     

Characteristics of the methodology used to describe students' conceptions

In a paper published elsewhere (Jiménez Gómez et al. 1997), we compared research carried out on students' conceptions of force in the decade 1975-85 with later research in the period 1985-95. Only a slight progression was found in the results offered by different authors. In this contribution we analyse the research objectives of selected investigations into students' conceptions of force, their methodological characteristics and their most widely used theoretical foundations, in an attempt to explain the lack of progress made in this research line. Some suggestions are made which may help the science teaching profession to understand students' conceptions better.     

吉尔曼大学思想述评

吉尔曼是美国第一所真正意义的研究型大学——约翰·霍普金斯大学的创建者。他认为,大学是为年轻人提供高层次教育和追求高深学问的场所;大学的使命在于增进真理与传播知识;大学的功能在于教育、研究与服务社会;大学是一个自由的所在,其学术自由不容侵犯;大学与社会是动态且良性互补的系统,需要与社会保持有距离的互动。     

Hong Kong tertiary students' conceptions of assessment of academic ability

Students' beliefs, attitudes, experiences and responses towards assessment reflect the ecology of their specific context. The study examines Hong Kong tertiary students' conceptions of assessment using focus group interviews and the content analysis technique. Using six focus groups, 26 Hong Kong university students were interviewed. Hong Kong tertiary students associated assessment with lifelong high-stake examinations. The assessment determined an individual's personal value or worth and achievement was an obligation one had towards one's family. As a legitimate tool for selecting the best candidates for educational and career opportunities, assessment provided upward social mobility, but also served the function of monitoring and surveillance to shape people's behaviour according to societal expectations. Resilience was reflected in both self-regulative agentic responses of effort, persistence and gaming strategy and passive escaping from the oppressive assessment system. The general emotional reaction towards assessment was negative; and participants cast doubts on the assessment validity, accuracy and the limited utility confined by academic-only content. In addition to the portrayal of the Chinese student as an effective, persistent learner, this study shows that Chinese students are very aware of the negative, controlling impact of assessment on their lives.     

大学教师教学观与大学生学习风格的相关研究

教师的教学观和大学生学习风格是教学研究中非常重要的课题。本文主要运用笔者自编的“大学生学习方式量袈’以及在对国外几个有关教学观调查量表基础上设计的“教师教学观量表”,调查了西安交通大学2003级504名本科生的学习风格以及他们感知的教师的教学观的基本情况,在此基础上,从学生的视角探讨了教师教学观与学生学习风格之间的关系。研究表明：教师的教学观可以分为两类,即信息传递的教学观和促进学习的教学观;教师的教学观对学生的学习风格具有显著影响。当教师持信息传递的教学观,认为教学仅仅是以传递知识为目的时,学生更可能采用再现导向的学习方式,这将不利于学生学习成绩的提高;当教师持促进学习的教学观,认为教学的目的在于帮助学生发展并改变自己的观念时,学生就会倾向于采用意义导向和情景导向的学习方式,这将有利于学生学习成绩的提高。     

College physical chemistry students' conceptions of equilibrium and fundamental thermodynamics

Hour-long structured interviews were conducted with 16 volunteer students from four undergraduate physical chemistry classes. Many student alternative conceptions and nonconceptions were expressed about important material covering equilibrium and thermodynamics. Twenty-nine of these were prevalent (present in >25% of the students.) The student conceptions expressed in their interviews were compared with those expressed by experts in textbooks and rated using a 6-point rubric. These ratings were averaged into a rating in each of four subjects and an overall rating. Correlation indices were computed. The “quality of student conception” rating was best predicted by an aggregated t score for the results on instructor-designed in-class exams. This result indicates that instructor's exams and grades do in fact demonstrate the level of a student's understanding of this course material. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 35: 1151–1160, 1998.     

Representation of space and students' conceptions at high school level

At high school level, the teaching of space geometry makes use of graphical representations of objects. But usually the only function of these figures is to illustrate, they are stereotyped and have no real mathematical status, as a study of textbooks shows. They contain many implicit conventions, of different kinds, which can lead students to misconceptions about geometrical objects if they are not mastered. However they can, at a low educational cost, serve as an efficient tool to be used for problem solving. To achieve this I propose to base such drawings explicitly on parallel projection, a principle which produces representations of various types, often coinciding with the usual figures, close to perceptive images, and on which important properties of the objects represented are retained.     

Thinking styles and conceptions of creativity among university students

This research aims to understand university students’ thinking styles and the relationship with their views of creativity. The Thinking Styles Inventory‐Revised II was used to measure 13 thinking styles as defined in Sternberg’s theory of mental self‐government and the Conceptions of Creativity Scales was used to inquire students’ views about the conditions for evaluating creativity from six aspects: intelligence, knowledge, style of thinking, personality, motivation and learning environment. Significant relationships were identified between thinking styles and conceptions of creativity. This research contributes to the understanding about the relationship between conceptions of creativity and thinking styles, and brings insights for educators about educational innovations, as one of the key objectives of educational innovations is to develop creativity of the younger generation.     

Students' conceptions of learning in an engineering context

Research on student learning in higher education has highlighted the central role that students' conceptions of learning play in influencing their approaches to learning. This article reports on a study of conceptions of learning among engineering students on a one-year foundation course. Students were interviewed about their conceptions of learning at three intervals during their academic year. The data was analysed using a phenomenographic perspective and from the data five qualitatively different conceptions of learning were identified. The resulting characterisation of these conceptions of learning is presented using excerpts from the interviews and some implications for student learning are discussed.     

Pre-service teacher education students' epistemological beliefs and their conceptions of teaching

A study using both quantitative and qualitative methods was conducted in the final year of a Bachelor of Education programme to examine the student-teachers' epistemological beliefs and conceptions of teaching. The results show that most of the student-teachers (i) strongly believed that learning effort was more important than innate ability, (ii) strongly believed that knowledge changes, and (iii) were inclined to question the authority of knowledge. Although student-teachers who had sophisticated or mixed epistemological beliefs tended to believe in constructivist or mixed conceptions of teaching as predicted, inconsistent cases were identified. Implications for teacher education programmes are discussed.     

当代大学生负性特点追因及消解路径

当代大学生在经济全球化、社会信息化及市场经济向纵深发展的条件下,出现了前所未有的负性特点。社会急剧变革和转型是其特点形成的社会客观因素;心理、性格特征是其特点形成的主要诱发因素,即自身的主观因素。净化社会大环境,优化学校的德育生态,增强思想政治教育的有效性,实施正确的道德价值机制干预,是特别有效的解决路径。     

Secondary school students' conceptions of learning and their relationship to achievement

Conceptions of learning were investigated in three studies. Study 1 piloted a modified version of Purdie and Hattie's (2002) Conceptions of Learning Inventory (COLI-I) with 236 secondary students. Multilog analysis was used to remove items with poor measurement characteristics. Study 2 used a nationally representative sample of 701 New Zealand secondary school students who completed the COLI-II. The measurement model had marginally acceptable fit. Study 3 consisted of 608 secondary students who completed a slightly revised COLI-III and provided standardised academic reading and mathematics achievement data. The Study 2 and 3 samples were found to have configural invariance and the structural model mapping students' conceptions of learning onto their academic achievement had acceptable fit. The conception that learning is a duty predicted lower achievement and the conception of learning as continuous predicted higher achievement. This is the first study to empirically demonstrate a direct relationship between learning conceptions and academic outcomes in the secondary sector.