Approaches To Studying Inventory Research Articles

IMPLEMENTATION OF ACTIVE TEACHING METHODS AND EMERGING TOPICS IN PHOTOGRAMMETRY AND REMOTE SENSING SUBJECTS

Abstract. Fast technological developments in photogrammetry and remote sensing areas demand quick and steady changes in the education programme and its realization. The university teachers and assistants are faced with ensuring the learning materials, data and software for practical lessons, as well as project proposals for student’s team work and bachelor or master thesis. In this paper the emerging topics that already have a considerable impact in the practice are treated mostly from the educational aspect. These relatively new topics that are considered in this paper are unmanned aerial systems for spatial data collection, terrestrial and aerial laser scanning, mobile mapping systems, and novelties in satellite remote sensing. The focus is given to practical implementation of these topics into the teaching and learning programme of Geodesy and Geoinformation at the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering, and experiences gained by the authors so far. Together with the technological advances, the teaching approaches must be modernized as well. Classical approaches of teaching, where a lecturer gives lecture ex cathedra and students are only listeners, are not effective enough. The didactics science of teaching has developed and proved in the practice many useful approaches that can better motivate students for more active learning. We can use different methods of team work like pro et contra debate, buzzing groups, press conference, moderated discussion etc. An experimental study on active teaching methods in the class of students of the Master programme of Geodesy and Geoinformation has been made and the results are presented. After using some new teaching methods in the class, the students were asked to answer two types of a questionnaire. First questionnaire was the standard form developed by Noel Entwistle, an educational psychologist who developed the Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI) for identifying deep and surface approaches to learning. The second questionnaire was developed for our purpose to get the feedback from students on active teaching and learning methods. Although this investigation has been done only for one class of master programme students, the results are encouraging and we could extract some recommendations for the future.

IMPLEMENTATION OF ACTIVE TEACHING METHODS AND EMERGING TOPICS IN PHOTOGRAMMETRY AND REMOTE SENSING SUBJECTS

Fast technological developments in photogrammetry and remote sensing areas demand quick and steady changes in the education programme and its realization. The university teachers and assistants are faced with ensuring the learning materials, data and software for practical lessons, as well as project proposals for student’s team work and bachelor or master thesis. In this paper the emerging topics that already have a considerable impact in the practice are treated mostly from the educational aspect. These relatively new topics that are considered in this paper are unmanned aerial systems for spatial data collection, terrestrial and aerial laser scanning, mobile mapping systems, and novelties in satellite remote sensing. The focus is given to practical implementation of these topics into the teaching and learning programme of Geodesy and Geoinformation at the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering, and experiences gained by the authors so far. Together with the technological advances, the teaching approaches must be modernized as well. Classical approaches of teaching, where a lecturer gives lecture <i>ex cathedra</i> and students are only listeners, are not effective enough. The didactics science of teaching has developed and proved in the practice many useful approaches that can better motivate students for more active learning. We can use different methods of team work like pro et contra debate, buzzing groups, press conference, moderated discussion etc. An experimental study on active teaching methods in the class of students of the Master programme of Geodesy and Geoinformation has been made and the results are presented. After using some new teaching methods in the class, the students were asked to answer two types of a questionnaire. First questionnaire was the standard form developed by Noel Entwistle, an educational psychologist who developed the Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI) for identifying deep and surface approaches to learning. The second questionnaire was developed for our purpose to get the feedback from students on active teaching and learning methods. Although this investigation has been done only for one class of master programme students, the results are encouraging and we could extract some recommendations for the future.

Validation of Approaches to Studying Inventories in a Norwegian Context: In Search of “Quick‐and‐Easy” and Short Versions of the ASI

Four validation studies of different versions of the Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI) were performed by means of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Six samples of undergraduate students participated (N = 4,038), drawn from different bachelor programs in selected university college departments. The results gave limited support to the 18‐item ASI originally promoted by Gibbs et al. in 1988, whereas a modified version of the 32‐item edition showed acceptable psychometric properties, as did two shortened versions of the Approaches and Study Skill Inventory for Students (ASSIST). A restructured “quick‐and‐easy” 18‐item ASI emerged as reasonably valid and robust, and can be recommended as a research instrument and a practical evaluation tool in higher education. Considerations related to shortening the ASI are also discussed.

The phenomenology of ‘approach to studying’: the university student's studies within the lifeworld

The Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI) was based on qualitative research by Marton and Säljö, which established ‘surface’ and ‘deep’ approaches to study. This article attempts a new qualitative explication of the meanings of study. A heuristic due to Husserl is employed which distinguishes between the ‘noema’, the subjective object of awareness, and the ‘noesis’, the manner of mental activity in which the object is grasped. It is argued that previous work on approaches to learning focused exclusively on the noesis. In‐depth interviews with university students show that approaches to studying, in their full meaning within the student lifeworld, are much richer than can be encapsulated by noetic descriptions of ‘depth’ or ‘superficiality’, even when elaborated as in later versions of the ASI or in phenomenography.

Exploring Changes in Occupational Therapy Students' Approaches to Learning during Pre-Registration Education

This article describes a longitudinal cohort study, which examined the preferred approaches to learning of pre-registration occupational therapy students (N = 55) as they progressed through the 3 years of an undergraduate BSc(Hons) programme. The students' orientations to learning were measured using the short Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI) (Entwistle 1981) and the results were compared descriptively across repeat measures undertaken during each year of study. Inferential statistics were used to examine whether there were any statistically significant differences in preferred learning approaches throughout the 3 years of study. The results showed moderate changes in learning approaches, which were associated with more successful outcomes of learning. The evidence of the use of these deeper approaches to learning was accompanied by statistically significant decreases in the less desirable, superficial approaches, with reductions in the mean scores between year one and year three for Operation Learning (p < 0.005) and Learning Pathologies (p < 0.05). The implications of the findings are discussed in relation to learning and teaching and assessment methods in undergraduate health professional education. Students may be encouraged to become more independent and to develop deeper approaches to learning by reducing formal contact time and developing assessment strategies that emphasise the exploration and application of knowledge.

Genetic Susceptibility to Scrapie in Sheep: A Clinically Relevant Theme in Veterinary Medical Education

This article describes and evaluates two molecular biology practical classes based around the theme of genetic susceptibility to scrapie in sheep. These practical classes allow students to experience a range of molecular biology techniques in the context of a clinically based genetic disease. The two molecular biology practical classes described are evaluated in terms of their perceived usefulness to study by first-year veterinary medicine students. The students' ratings are then assessed in relation to the approaches to studying (i.e., deep, strategic, and surface). These dimensions of learning are measured using the 52-item Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI). The overall ratings from students in relation to both the practical classes were found to be positive. The scrapie genotyping practical was the highest-ranking laboratory-based practical in the first-year curriculum. Ratings in terms of usefulness to studies for both practical classes were found to be significantly higher for students with higher deep learning scores. The practical classes described here provide a clinically relevant scenario within which molecular biology concepts and methods can be illustrated to veterinary students. The positive correlation with deep learning is more evident for the scrapie genotyping practical than for the DNA extraction practical. This may reflects the complexity of the former, which is greater both technically and conceptually.

Comparing Approaches to Studying of Malaysian Distance Learners and On-Campus Learners: Implications to Distance Education.

This paper first discusses the findings of this study in the light of other research carried out in this area and secondly, and more importantly, in the light of its contribution towards a better understanding of the learning needs of Malaysian distance learners. BACKGROUND Entwistle and Ramsden (1983) pointed out that, although there had been an increase in research into higher education in the United Kingdom, little direct attention had been given by researchers to the process of student learning and the effects of teaching on it. However, the situation has changed dramatically in the last two decades, not only in United Kingdom, but also in other parts of the world. My review of literature revealed that there has been an explosion of research into individual differences in student learning. The increase in research tools to investigate student learning has also increased tremendously with the development of various inventories for quantitative research and different methodologies for qualitative research. In the field of investigating approaches to studying quantitatively, the three most widely used inventories are: The Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI) developed by Entwistle and Ramsden (1983), the Student Processes Questionnaire (SPQ) developed by Biggs (1979) and the Inventory of Learning Processes (ILP) developed by Schmeck et. al (1977). The scales of the SPQ are similar to those of the ASI in many ways, despite the fact that SPQ was developed and validated on samples of students in Australia and Canada, and the ASI on British students. In addition, studies carried out using either of these questionnaires suggested a broad distinction between Surface Approach and Deep Approach that appeared to have a certain degree of cross-cultural validity. This finding brings the two inventories closer together, and reaffirms the validity of both instruments within a defined boundary. However, only a moderate degree of overlap was found between the ILP and the SPQ (Schmeck et. al, 1977). Although research into student learning has come a long way these last two decades, research that compares approaches to studying of distance learners and on-campus learners is still in its infancy. The better-known studies of such nature include those by Morgan et al., 1980; Watkins and Hattie, 1981; Watkins, 1983; Harper and Kember, 1986; Richardson et al., 1999).

The impact of Greek University students’ perceptions of their learning environment on approaches to studying and academic outcomes

The relationship between university students’ perceptions of their academic environment, their approaches to study, and academic outcomes was investigated for first and fourth-final year students. The responses of 88 first and 92 fourth year students were analysed using a path analysis model. Students’ perceptions of the learning environment were measured by an instrument based on the Course Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ) and Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) inventories. The Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI) was used to assess students’ approaches to studying. The structure of the ASI inventory was explored by factor analysis. The analysis gave two factors which reflect the deep and surface approaches to studying. Workload does not predict any of the studying approaches and academic outcomes. There was a pattern of relationships between deep approach, perceptions of learning environment which encourage this approach, and outcomes. Assessment methods was the best predictor of satisfaction for all of the students. For the first year students, University grade was not associated with any of the explored variables but the level of satisfaction was predicted by relationships with tutors and fellows. For the fourth year students, good teaching predicted achievement both directly and indirectly through the deep approach to studying. The findings indicate that fourth year students’ perceptions of the current learning environment are a stronger predictor of academic achievement than prior academic ability (university entrance examinations’ grade). The study suggests further exploration of the impact of affect in learning especially for the newcomers.

Approaches to Studying and Perceptions of the Academic Environment in Students Following Problem-Based and Subject-Based Curricula

To investigate the effects of different kinds of curriculum, the Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) and a short form of the Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI) were administered to 225 2nd-year students at six different schools of occupational therapy. Their curricula were classified as problem-based, subject-based or hybrid. Their scores on the scales of the CEQ and ASI were closely related, insofar as they shared more than half of their respective variance. Problem-based curricula were associated with higher scores on the scales of the CEQ concerned with appropriate assessment and emphasis on independence. With the ASI, problem-based curricula were associated with lower scores on all of the scales concerned with a reproducing orientation, and with higher scores on the scale concerned with a deep approach. These findings suggest that the implementation of a problem-based curriculum has desirable effects on the quality of learning, and these are at least in part mediated by students' perceptions of their academic environment.

A Comparison of University Students' Approaches to Learning Across Taiwan and Turkey

In this study, university students'approaches to studying were investigated across Turkey and Taiwan. Four hundred sixty-four Turkish university students and 546 Taiwanese university students filled out the Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI). Approaches to studying was treated as a multidimensional scale with the subdimensions of Meaning Orientation, Reproducing Orientation, and Strategic Orientation. This 3-factor model was fitted across the cultures through the use of linear structural modeling and for each dimension mean differences between Turkish and Taiwanese students were evaluated. The 3-factor model gave sufficient fit regarding goodness-of-fit (GFI) and adjusted goodness-of-fit (AGFI) indexes, and moderate fit regarding the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) index within each culture and across the cultures. The means of the Turkish students were found to be significantly greater than the Taiwanese students in all the dimensions.

Approaches to studying and perceptions of academic quality in electronically delivered courses

AbstractThe Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) and a short form of the Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI) were administered to students who were taking electronically delivered courses in computer science. The constituent structure of the CEQ was preserved in this distinctive context, and a second‐order factor analysis confirmed its role as an index of perceived academic quality. The students' scores on the individual scales of the CEQ and the ASI shared nearly two‐thirds of their variance. In short, approaches to studying in electronically delivered courses are strongly associated with students' perceptions of the academic quality of those courses.

Intuition-Analysis Style and Approaches to Studying

Rayner & Riding (1997) identified two complementary approaches to the study of individual differences in learning; process-based models include the notion of 'approaches to studying', whilst cognition-centred model encompass 'cognitive styles'. A number of authors have posited theoretical relationships between these two aspects of learning (for example: Curry, 1983; Riding, 1997). The present study sought to provide empirical elaboration for Curry's 'onion' model and Riding's 'cognitive control' model. It employed a questionnaire survey type approach and used the Cognitive Style Index (CSI) which is a measure of intuition-analysis style (Allinson & Hayes, 1996) and a short form of the Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI) advocated by Gibbs et al. (1988) augmented by a collaborative scale suggested by the author. The hypothesised factor structure of Gibbs' short form of the ASI was not confirmed, however, the collaborative scale appeared reasonably robust and may warrant further development. A number of relationships were observed: females perceived themselves as being more analytical than males; analysts adopted a deeper approach than intuitives; intuitives had a stronger preference for collaborative approaches than analysts; and females were more achievement-oriented than males. The results are discussed with respect to the theoretical frameworks of Curry and of Riding and the practical implications for student learning in higher education.

Differences between Chinese and Australian students: some implications for distance educators.

First year undergraduate Business and Computing Chinese students studying on‐campus in Australia and from Confucian cultural heritage societies were compared with first year Australian undergraduate students of the same courses using Entwistle and Ramsden's (1983) Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI). Results were analysed for each ASI scale using analyses of variance. Significant differences were shown for a number of scales, with implications for the design and delivery of effective off‐shore distance education directed towards Confucian heritage cultures. The results are discussed in a context of the factor structure identified for Chinese students by Smith, Miller and Crassini (1998) with a view to informing instructional decision‐making.

Approaches to Studying of Australian and Overseas Chinese University Students

This article takes up the question of whether the approaches to study adopted by Australian students and overseas Chinese students differ. Participants in the study consisted of 202 first‐year Australian students and 248 first‐year overseas Chinese students drawn from two Australian universities. The students were tested using the Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI). The data obtained from the two groups were subjected to factor analysis (with orthogonal rotation). For Australian students, a four‐factor structure in studying approaches, which accounted for 55.6% of the total variance, was obtained. The factors were: Meaning Orientation; Non‐Academic Orientation; Anxious‐Rigid Orientation; and Goal Orientation. For the overseas Chinese students, a four‐factor structure in studying approaches which accounted for 52.8% of the total variance was obtained. The factors were: Anxious‐Surface Orientation; Self‐Motivated Reflective Orientation; Efficiency Orientation; and Comprehension Orientation. Although Cattell's (British Journal of Psychology, II, 1949, pp. 134–138) salient similarity sindex indicated some resemblance between the factors obtained for Australian and overseas Chinese students, confirmatory factor analyses failed to confirm a common factor structure in approaches to studying for both groups. It is concluded that the studying approaches of first‐year Australian and overseas Chinese university students are summarized by somewhat different factor structures. Several implications of the research findings are discussed.

Approaches to Studying and Academic Performance in a Traditional Psychology Course

ABSTRACT Richardson's short‐version of the Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI) was administered to psychology students at the commencement of the semester of study. This inventory seeks to indicate the degree to which students employ a reproducing (i.e., surface,) or meaning (i.e., deep,) approach to learning. Scores for meaning orientation did not predict academic performance in any way, while there was a very small negative relationship between reproducing orientation and academic achievement. The internal reliability of subscales within meaning and reproducing orientation were not satisfactory.

Toward the Cross-Cultural Validation of a Western Model of Student Approaches to Learning

The cross-cultural validity of the Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI) was supported in an investigation of 302 first-year undergraduates enrolled at a Nepalese university. Evidence of a meaningful learning process model underlying ASI responses was found. As predicted, self-esteem correlated significancy with a more versatile approach to learning. Differences were found between the responses of Australian and Nepalese students to the ASI, but these were not easy to interpret.

Medical students' approaches to studying

A 32-item short version of the Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI) was administered to all students (years 1–6) at an Australian university medical school (return rate 77% = 806 students). The aim was to assess the ASI's psychometric characteristics and to examine any differences in scale scores between students in different enrolment years. The analysis of the ASI was based on 806 students; factor analyses were conducted on (1) eight subscales and (2) the 32 ASI items, followed by a second-order analysis of the correlations among the Just-order factors. The analyses confirmed the theoretical distinction between the meaning (deep learning;) and reproducing (surface learning) orientations, with both showing satisfactory internal consistency reliability for group comparisons. The failing students did not show any disintegration in their responses to the ASI. This short-version ASI is recommended as a practical tool for curriculum committees and individual teachers to use as an entry point for discussions aimed at changing major contextual factors at the institutional level with a view to improving teaching and learning.

Approaches to Studying in Higher Education: a comparative study in the South Pacific

A short version of the Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI), commended as a ‘quick and easy’ means of assessing student learning, was administered to two groups of students at the University of the South Pacific. Measures of its internal consistency and test‐retest reliability were comparable with those obtained in European research, but were not wholly satisfactory. Moreover, its factor structure was found to be qualitatively different in this context and constituted by different forms of motivation for studying in higher education. It is concluded that approaches to studying are culture‐specific and, in particular, that one should be cautious about using this version of the ASI in systems of higher education in non‐Western countries.

An Examination of the Interactive Model of Esl Reading From the Perspective of Approaches To Studying

This study uses techniques derived from the fields of cognitive psychology and student learning to investigate the approaches to studying of a sample of Hong Kong students and to relate these approaches to the interactive model of second-language reading. The English language ability of the subjects, who were studying in a second language, was compared to measures from the Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI) and data from student interviews. English language ability was found to be correlated with deep and surface approach scores of the ASI, which determine whether a student sets out to find the global meaning of a piece of reading or tries to memorise items. There was evidence of the subjects adopting a narrow focus in their learning approaches, which is interpreted as evidence for over-reliance on bottom-up processing. The results are seen as offering some support to the short-cut hypothesis of second-language processing.

Gender differences in responses to the Approaches to Studying Inventory

ABSTRACT The Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI) was devised in order to measure different orientations towards learning in higher education. Most research using the ASI has ignored gender as a social variable, and the few previous studies which have compared the responses given by male and female students are open to methodological criticisms. Two studies used different forms of the ASI to investigate the possibility of gender differences in approaches to studying. There was no consistent evidence of significant difference between men and women in terms of their scores on individual items, subscales, or learning orientations.