Student-centred learning environments: an investigation into student teachers’ instructional preferences and approaches to learning

The use of student-centred learning environments in education has increased. This study investigated student teachers’ instructional preferences for these learning environments and how these preferences are related to their approaches to learning. Participants were professional Bachelor students in teacher education. Instructional preferences and approaches to learning were measured by means of questionnaires. Results showed that most students preferred teacher direction, cooperative learning and knowledge construction, and adopted a deep approach. Moreover, significant correlations were found between approaches to learning and instructional preferences. Students adopting a deep approach preferred knowledge construction and cooperative learning, while students adopting a surface approach had a preference for teacher direction and passive learning.     

New Learning Environments and Constructivism: The Students’ Perspective

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 final form: 31 May 2005     

Students’ assessment preferences, perceptions of assessment and their relationships to study results

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.     

Students’ approaches to learning and assessment preferences in a portfolio-based learning environment

This study focused on the relationships between experiences with portfolio assessment, students’ approaches to learning and their assessment preferences by means of a pre- and post-test design in an authentic class setting. The participants were 138 first-year professional bachelor’s degree students in office management. They were assessed by means of portfolio assessment in a course that combined constructivist design principles and lectures. Approaches to learning and assessment preferences were measured by means of the Revised Two-Factor Study Process Questionnaire and the Assessment Preferences Inventory. Results showed that students’ preferences for student participation in examination and for permanent evaluation decreased significantly. Moreover, deep approaches were not enhanced. On the contrary, surface learning increased significantly. Notwithstanding, the surface approach proved to be a significant negative predictor of the portfolio assessment score.     

Towards an equilibrium model for creating powerful learning environments. Validation of a questionnaire on creating powerful learning environments during teacher training internships

Recently, many insights have been gained into how to create powerful learning environments. The goal of learning how to teach in this way has important consequences for teacher training. Firstly, scholars indicate the necessity to work out a theoretical framework for the student‐teachers which is sufficiently complete, but still manageable, and which is operationalised into concrete educational approaches. The current article presents such a framework, based on a literature study. Key teaching activities were described by means of 13 dimensions. Aiming at a gradually more complex model for use in teacher education, these dimensions were summarized in a model with four interconnected main dimensions. Possible conflicts between the instructional activities of the four main dimensions were indicated. Teachers have to search for appropriate balances within these dilemmas. The whole is conceptualized as an ‘equilibrium model for creating powerful learning environments’. Secondly, based on this framework, instruments could be constructed which facilitate research into approaches within teacher training which encourage learning how to teach in this way. A questionnaire to evaluate the degree of creating powerful learning environments during internships was, therefore, constructed and validated. Analyses indicate a suitable degree of reliability and validity. Furthermore, a confirmatory factor analysis indicates that the assumed theoretical structure was reflected by the experimental data.

Récemment, nos connaissances au sujet de la création d'environnements d'apprentissage puissants se sont largement développées. L'objectif d'apprendre à enseigner de cette façon a d'importantes conséquences pour la formation des enseignants. En premier lieu, les professeurs spécialisés insistent sur la nécessité de réaliser un encadrement théorique pour les enseignants en formation qui soit suffisamment complet, mais encore flexible, et qui se traduise opération‐nellement en approches éducationnelles concrètes. Cet article présente une structure d'encadrement, sur base d'une étude de la littérature. Les activités fondamentales d'enseignement ont été décrites en utilisant 13 dimensions. Dans le but de construire un modèle graduellement plus complexe dans l'éducation de l'enseignant, ces dimensions ont été résumées dans un modèle avec quatre dimensions principales interconnectées. Des conflits possibles entre les activités d'enseignement des quatre dimensions principales ont été identifiés. Les enseignants doivent rechercher des balances appropriées entre ces dilemmes. L'ensemble est conçu comme un ‘modèle d'équilibre pour créer des environnements d'apprentissage puissants’. En second lieu, sur base de cet encadrement, des moyens pourraient être mis en place pour faciliter la recherche dans les approches de la formation des enseignants pour encourager une manière d'enseigner appropriée. En conséquence, un questionnaire a été élaboré et validé pour évaluer le niveau de création d'environnements d'apprentissage puissants pendant les stages de formation. Les analyses montrent un degré approprié de confiance et de validité. De plus, une analyse factorielle confirmatoire montre que la structure théorique supposée est confirmée par les résultats expérimentaux.

Recientemente hemos ganado criterio en la creación de entornos de aprendizaje fuertes. Aprender como enseñar de esta manera tiene consecuencias importantes para el entrenamiento de profesores. En primer lugar investigadores indican que es necesario que se elabore una teoría bastante completa, pero realizable para los profesores estudiantes tambien, y convertido en actividades concretas de enseñanza. El artículo actual representa tal marco, basado en un estudio literario. Actividades clave de enseñanza se describen en 13 dimensiones. Para llegar a un modelo gradualmente más complejo que se utiliza en la educación de profesores, hemos resumido estas dimensiones en un modelo con cuatro dimensiones principales interconectadas. Conflictos posibles se indicaban entre las actividades de instrucción de las diferentes dimensiones (principales). Profesores tienen que buscar un equilibrio apropiado dentro de estos dilemas. Como concepto global podemos hablar de ‘un modelo equilibrio para crear entornos de aprendizaje fuertes’. En segundo lugar podríamos construir instrumentos basados en este teoría, que facilitan el estudio de planteamientos en el entrenamiento de profesores que pueden estimular a aprender como debe enseñar de esta manera. Por eso, hemos construido y validado un cuestionario que evalúa la creación de entornos de aprendizaje fuertes durante clases de práctica. Análisis indican que hay bastante fiabilidad y validez. Además un análisis factorial consolidado indica que la estructura teórica supuesta se apoya en datos experimentales.

In letzter Zeit sind viele Untersuchungen bezüglich der Kreation erfolgreicher Lernumgebungen gemacht worden und neue Erkenntnisse gewonnen worden. Das Ziel, um diese Untersuchungen in der Wirklichkeit umzusetzen, hat wichtige Folgen für das Trainingprogramm des Lehrers. An erster Stelle weisen Forscher auf die Notwendigkeit eines vollständigen theoretischen, aber für die Studente jedoch noch immer verständlichen, Rahmen auszuarbeiten, der in deutlich fassbare didaktische Vorgehensweisen umgesetz wird. In dem nachstehenden Artikel wird einen solchen Rahmen, basiert auf eine literarische Studie, beschrieben. Die wichtigsten Aktivitäten eines Lehrers werden in 13 Dimensionen beschrieben. Ziel ist um schrittstufenweise einen mehr komplizierten Modell in Lehrerprogramme zu verwenden; die 13 Dimensionen sind daher in einem Modell mit 4 gegenseitig zusammenhangenden Hauptdimensionen zusammengefasst worden. Mögliche Gegensätze zwischen den didaktischen Aktivitäten der unterschiedlichen Hauptdimensionen wurden angedeutet. Zukünftige Lehrer haben als Aufgabe ein Gleichgewicht zwischen diesen Dilemmen zu finden. Das Ganze wird als ‘ein balanziertes Modell für die Entwicklung erfolgreicher Lernumgebungen’ konzeptualisiert. Mit dieser Theorie in Gedanken können Untersuchungsinstrumente entwickelt werden, die nachweisen, wie ein bestimmtes Verfahren im Lehrerpprogramm die Studente motiviert, um in dieser Weise Unterricht zu erteilen. Es wurde ein Fragebogen aufgearbeitet und validiert, um den Grad in der Entwicklung erfolgreicher Lernumgebungen während eines Lehrerpraktikums zu evaluieren. Verschiedene Analysen haben eine ausreichende Zuverlässigkeit und Validität nachgewiesen. Weiterhin hat eine bestätigende Faktoranalyse nachgewiesen, dass der vorausgesetzte theoretische Struktur durch experimentelle Daten wiedergegeben war.