Shortcomings of the ‘approaches to learning’ framework in the context of undergraduate mathematics

Ellie Darlington

doi:10.17583/redimat.2019.2541

Abstract

Students’ approaches to learning are heavily researched in higher education, and are of particular concern in the field of mathematics where many students have been found to struggle with the transition to university mathematics. This article outlines a mixed methods study which sought to describe undergraduate mathematicians’ approaches to learning using the deep-surface-strategic ‘trichotomy’ using the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students with 414 mathematics students and semi-structured interviews with a subset of 13 at a leading British university. Analysis found that neither the ‘approaches to learning’ framework nor the inventory can effectively describe students’ study practices, and conceal important elements of how students learn advanced mathematics for examinations. Therefore, it is important that educators do not try to oversimplify students’ methods using quantitative questionnaires but do seek to support those who would otherwise rely solely on memorisation as a means of passing high-stakes examinations.

Highlights

Students’ approaches to learning are heavily researched in higher education and are of particular concern in the field of mathematics where many students have been found to struggle with the transition to university mathematics
Quantitative data were collected through distributing the ASSIST to current undergraduate mathematicians at a leading British university, and this was supplemented by qualitative data from student interviews
65% of the first-year cohort completed the ASSIST in sweep 1, and over 40% of all four year-groups in sweep 2

Summary

Objectives

The differences between secondary and tertiary mathematics are welldocumented, though students’ expectations about the nature of mathematics often do not match their experiences at university (Crawford, Gordon, Nicholas, & Prosser, 1998) and these differences have been found to result in students becoming disaffected (Daskalogianni & Simpson, 2002) or adopting rote memorisation practices in order to pass examinations (Anderson et al, 1998). To be able to begin to support students in the transition between school and university mathematics is important, and their approaches to its learning are an important component of this. This study sought to identify and explore undergraduate mathematicians ATLs in order to gain an insight into the studying and learning habits of these students

Methods

Results

Discussion