Use Of Effective Learning Strategies Research Articles

Study smart – impact of a learning strategy training on students’ study behavior and academic performance

Recent research shows the importance to teach students the self-regulated use of effective learning strategies at university. However, the effects of such training programs on students’ metacognitive knowledge, use of learning strategies, and academic performance in the longer term are unknown. In the present study, all first-year pharmacology students from one university attended a learning strategy training program, i.e., the ‘Study Smart program’, in their first weeks. The 20% (n = 25) lowest scoring students on the first midterm received further support regarding their learning strategies. Results showed that all students gained accurate metacognitive knowledge about (in)effective learning strategies in the short- and long-term and reported to use less highlighting, less rereading, but more interleaving, elaboration, and distributed practice after the training program. Academic performance was compared to the prior cohort, which had not received the Study Smart program. While in the previous cohort, students in the top, middle, and bottom rank of midterm 1 stayed in these ranks and still differed significantly in the final exam, students in the Study Smart cohort that received the training program improved throughout the year and differences between ranks were significantly reduced. A learning strategy training program including a remediation track for lower performing students can thus support students to study more effectively and enhance equal chances for all students at university.

PLAT 20(3) 2021: Promoting Self-Regulated Learning: Training, Feedback, and Addressing Teachers’ Misconceptions

Self-regulated learning is the capacity to monitor and regulate your learning activities and is vital in an increasingly complex and digitalized world with unlimited amounts of information at your fingertips. The current Special Issue highlights five articles and one report, which provide different approaches for teachers to promote effectively self-regulated learning in various educational contexts: training, feedback, and addressing teachers’ misconceptions. This editorial serves as a succinct review article and an introduction to the content of this issue. Training programs frequently teach information about effective learning strategies. Accordingly, Benick et al. (2021) found that students reported using more learning strategies when their teachers provided direct-strategy instruction combined with a learning diary, as compared to when these supports were not implemented. Yet, in this study, no transfer effect on academic performance was observed. Note that it is important that students are motivated to engage with these training courses and the learning strategies that are taught. Accordingly, van der Beek et al. (2021) investigated high school students in their last year before graduation and demonstrated that “motivated” students more often participated in a voluntary, self-regulated-learning training. However, a utility-value and implementation-intention intervention did not increase the likelihood of participation. McDaniel et al. (2021) reported a theoretical training framework addressing multiple components of self-regulated learning. The authors then tested a pilot college course based on this framework: knowledge of and belief in the effectiveness of learning strategies are targeted combined with efforts to promote students’ commitment and planning to apply these strategies (Knowledge-Belief-Commitment-Planning framework; McDaniel & Einstein, 2020). Another approach to promote self-regulated learning is to provide feedback and opportunities to effectively process and utilize it. Bürgermeister et al. (2021) developed an effective online tool supporting preservice teachers to assess and provide feedback on peer learners’ self-regulated use of effective learning strategies. Kuepper-Tetzel and Gardner (2021) demonstrated how to enhance self-regulated processing of feedback by temporarily withholding university students’ grades in favor of accessing and engaging with the feedback first. Finally, teachers’ misconceptions about learning can affect the degree to which teachers can scaffold students’ learning how to learn. As a first step, to address these misconceptions, Eitel et al. (2021) developed and psychometrically evaluated the Misconceptions about Multimedia Learning Questionnaire (MMLQ). Using the MMLQ, the authors showed that (preservice) teachers endorsed three out of four common misconceptions of self-regulated multimedia learning, with the potential to design instructional devices to refute them and thereby to promote rather than hinder self-regulated learning in students. Taken together, the contributions of the current Special Issue highlight self-regulated learning as a critical skill at all levels of education, which can be promoted through structured training programs, various uses of feedback, and addressing misconceptions about self-regulated learning from (pre-service) teachers.

개념 및 범주 학습에서 학습전략 효과성 인지 및 활용

개념 및 범주 학습은 지식을 적용하고 확장하는 데 필수적인 과정으로, 학습자는 효과적인 범주 학습전략을 잘 알고 활용할 수 있어야 한다. 본 연구는 선행연구에서 효과성이 검증된 6개의 개념 및 범주 학습전략(다양한 사례학습, 대표적 사례학습, 시험(후방효과/전방효과), 특징강조기법, 교차학습)을 정리하고, 시나리오 기반 설문을 사용하여 이에 대한 학습자의 효과성 인지와 활용 실태를 조사하였다. 추가로 메타인지적 자기조절, 학점과 학습전략의 효과성 인지와 활용 간 관계를 보았다. 서울 소재 사립대학교 한 곳에 재학 중인 학부생을 대상으로 조사한 결과, 본 연구의 대학생들은 개념 및 범주 학습에서 효과적이라고 알려진 학습전략 중 4개의 전략은 대체로 잘 알고 활용하는 편이었으나 2개 전략(다양한 사례학습, 교차학습)의 인지와 활용 수준은 낮았다. 특히, 대부분의 대학생은 교차학습의 효과성을 알지 못하고 오히려 비효과적인 묶음학습을 효과적이라고 믿는 경향이 있었다. 또한, 대학생들은 6개 전략 중 교차학습을 가장 낮게 활용했다. 메타인지적 자기조절은 일부 학습전략의 활용과 정적 상관을 보였으나 학점은 학습전략의 효과성 인지 및 활용과 유의한 상관관계가 없었다. 종합하면 대학생들은 효과적인 개념 및 범주 학습전략을 모두 정확히 인지하고 활용하지 못했으며 특히 효과성을 알지 못하는 학습전략의 활용도는 매우 낮은 편이었다. 연구결과는 학습자가 잘 알지 못하는 효과적인 개념 및 범주 학습전략에 대한 정확한 안내와 활용을 위한 교수가 필요함을 시사한다.

Teaching Students to Learn Better in Introductory Psychology: A Replication and Extension Study

Background: Psychology courses provide a good opportunity for instructors to teach students effective learning strategies integrated with content. Objective: This replication and extension study explored changes in students’ self-reported use of learning strategies before and after a term paper assignment and examined the relationships between learning strategy use and academic performance. Method: Three hundred eighty-five introductory psychology students completed surveys on their use of 11 learning strategies at the beginning and end of the semester, read an empirical article and wrote a term paper about the learning strategy of practice testing, and completed four exams among other assessments. Results: Replicating prior work, students generally reported improvements in their use of learning strategies over the course of the semester, though improvements were largely attributable to grade point average (GPA). Two learning strategies—self-explanation and practice testing—were positively correlated with course performance in the second half of the semester, over and above the effects associated with GPA. Conclusion: Teaching students about beneficial learning strategies may increase their adoption of those strategies as well as their course performance, replicating prior research. Teaching Implications: In order to improve course performance, instructors may consider adapting assignments in ways that increase students’ knowledge and use of effective learning strategies.

Pharmacy Students’ Perception of an Elective Course on Evidence-based Learning Strategies

Objective. To examine pharmacy students' perceptions of an elective course on evidence-based learning strategies.Methods. Pre- and post-course survey questionnaires were administered to students who enrolled in an elective course, to determine the learning strategies they used prior to course attendance, track their use of evidence-based learning strategies and observance of healthy lifestyle habits, and assess their perception of the course. A written assignment was given that required students to reflect on the learning outcomes that resulted from their application of evidence-based learning strategies. Mean scores on the pre- and post-course survey were analyzed using a general linear model repeated measures test.Results. The 59 students in this study predominantly used less-effective strategies (eg, re-reading and re-writing of notes) prior to taking the course. They reported increased use of evidence-based learning strategies, particularly retrieval practice and elaboration, and practice of healthy lifestyle habits (ie, enough sleep, exercise, good nutrition) after course completion. Students believed that using the above learning strategies improved their learning and memory and performance on graded assessments, among other benefits. Students had a positive perception of the course.Conclusion. The elective course was associated with increased use of effective learning strategies, adoption of healthy lifestyle practices that aid learning, and increased appreciation for evidence-based learning strategies by the students. Future studies are needed to examine actual learning outcomes and barriers to implementation of evidence-based learning techniques.

Assessment to Optimize Learning Strategies: A Qualitative Study of Student and Faculty Perceptions

Phenomenon: The format of medical knowledge assessment can promote students’ use of effective learning strategies from the learning sciences literature, such as elaboration, interleaving, retrieval practice, and distributed learning. Assessment format can also influence faculty teaching. Accordingly, our institution implemented a new assessment strategy in which pre-clerkship medical students answered weekly formative quizzes with constructed response questions (also referred to as open-ended questions) and multiple-choice questions in preparation for summative open-ended question examinations, to support students’ use of recommended learning strategies. Our qualitative study explored medical student and faculty perceptions of this assessment strategy on learning and teaching. Approach: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 16 second-year medical students to explore their preparation for quizzes and summative examinations. We also interviewed 10 faculty responsible for writing and grading these assessments in the pre-clerkship foundational sciences curriculum regarding their approach to writing assessments and rubrics, and their perceptions of how their teaching may have changed with this assessment strategy. We analyzed interview transcripts using thematic analysis with a priori sensitizing concepts from the learning sciences literature. Findings: We identified four major themes characterizing student and faculty perceptions of weekly formative quizzes and summative OEQ examinations. Participants found that this assessment strategy helped (1) prioritize conceptual understanding, (2) simulate clinical problem solving, and (3) engage students and faculty in continuous improvement in their approach to learning or teaching. Faculty and students also recognized challenges and potential tradeoffs associated with these assessment formats. Participants identified (4) facilitators and barriers when implementing this assessment strategy. Insights: Our findings suggested that assessment of medical knowledge through weekly formative quizzes and summative open-ended question examinations can facilitate students’ use of effective learning strategies. Faculty also recognized improvements in their teaching and in quality of assessment. This format of assessment also presented some challenges and potential tradeoffs and significant institutional resources were required for implementation.

Fostering Effective Learning Strategies in Higher Education – A Mixed-Methods Study

Cognitive psychological research from the last decades has shown that learning strategies that create desirable difficulties during learning, e.g., practice testing, are most effective for long-term learning outcomes. However, there is a paucity of research on how to effectively translate these insights into training students in higher education. Therefore, we designed an intervention program aiming to create awareness about, foster reflection on, and stimulate practice of effective learning strategies. In a first examination of the pilot intervention (N = 47), we tested the effects of the intervention on metacognitive knowledge and self-reported use of effective learning strategies during self-study, using a control-group mixed-methods design. The intervention program had positive effects on knowledge about effective learning strategies and increased the use of practice testing. Qualitative interview results suggested that to sustainably change students’ learning strategies, we may consider tackling their uncertainty about effort and time, and increase availability of practice questions.

Learning Analytics to Inform the Learning Design: Supporting Instructor’s Inquiry into Student Learning in Unsupervised Technology-Enhanced Platforms

Instructors may design and implement formative assessments on technology-enhanced platforms (e.g., online quizzes) with the intention of encouraging the use of effective learning strategies like active retrieval of information and spaced practice among their students. However, when students interact with unsupervised technology-enhanced learning platforms, instructors are often unaware of students’ actual use of the learning tools with respect to the pedagogical design. In this study, we designed and extracted five variables from the Canvas quiz-log data, which can provide insights into students’ learning behaviors. Anchoring our conceptual basis on the ‘influential conversational framework’, we find that learning analytics (LA) can provide instructors with critical information related to students’ learning behaviors, thereby supporting instructors’ inquiry into student learning in unsupervised technology-enhanced platforms. Our findings suggest that the information that LA provides may enable instructors to provide meaningful feedback to learners and improve the existing learning designs.

Meeting students halfway: Increasing self-efficacy and promoting knowledge change in astronomy

Self-efficacy is related to student achievement and the use of effective learning strategies.

Organizational Learning Strategies and Verbal Memory Deficits in Bipolar Disorder.

Verbal memory (VM) impairment is prominent in bipolar disorder (BD) and is linked to functional outcomes. However, the intricacies of VM impairment have not yet been studied in a large sample of BD patients. Moreover, some have proposed VM deficits that may be mediated by organizational strategies, such as semantic or serial clustering. Thus, the exact nature of VM break-down in BD patients is not well understood, limiting remediation efforts. We investigated the intricacies of VM deficits in BD patients versus healthy controls (HCs) and examined whether verbal learning differences were mediated by use of clustering strategies. The California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) was administered to 113 affectively stable BD patients and 106 HCs. We compared diagnostic groups on all CVLT indices and investigated whether group differences in verbal learning were mediated by clustering strategies. Although BD patients showed significantly poorer attention, learning, and memory, these indices were only mildly impaired. However, BD patients evidenced poorer use of effective learning strategies and lower recall consistency, with these indices falling in the moderately impaired range. Moreover, relative reliance on semantic clustering fully mediated the relationship between diagnostic category and verbal learning, while reliance on serial clustering partially mediated this relationship. VM deficits in affectively stable bipolar patients were widespread but were generally mildly impaired. However, patients displayed inadequate use of organizational strategies with clear separation from HCs on semantic and serial clustering. Remediation efforts may benefit from education about mnemonic devices or "chunking" techniques to attenuate VM deficits in BD. (JINS, 2017, 23, 358-366).

Comparing problem-based learning students to students in a lecture-based curriculum: learning strategies and the relation with self-study time

In educational theory, deep processing (i.e., connecting different study topics together) and self-regulation (i.e., taking control over one’s own learning process) are considered effective learning strategies. These learning strategies can be influenced by the learning environment. Problem-based learning (PBL), a student-centered educational method, is believed to stimulate the use of these effective learning strategies. Several aspects of PBL such as discussions of real-life problems, selecting literature by the students themselves, and formulating answers to learning issues encourage students’ use of deep processing and self-regulation. In the present study, third-year PBL law students were compared to third-year law students of a lecture-based program with respect to their learning strategies, which were measured with the Inventory Learning Styles (ILS; Vermunt in British Journal of Educational Psychology, 68, 149–171, 1998). In addition, the relation between time invested in self-study and learning strategies, when taking the instructional method into account, was explored. Results showed that PBL students reported to apply deep processing, self-regulation, and external regulation more frequently than their non-PBL counterparts. PBL seems to contribute to the use of effective learning strategies, but PBL students also relied more often on external sources for their regulation, such as teachers, course material, and assessment.

Applying Cognitive Science to Online Learning

Online educational resources like videos and exercises are playing an increasing role in the education of thousands of students, via both MOOCs and blended education in classrooms. Taking advantage of the progress in scientific research on learning, this paper considers some practical implications that emerge from synthesizing research in cognitive science, presenting actionable instructional tactics that any designer or instructor can take advantage of to improve students’ learning. These target the complementary goals of enhancing both motivation and cognitive processing. Motivation can be increased by fostering students’ beliefs that intellectual capacity is malleable and can be improved through effort and use of effective learning strategies. Cognitive processing can be enhanced by augmenting online videos and exercises with questions and prompts for students to generate explanations: before, during, and after learning. These instructional strategies provide students with direction while allowing them to take charge of their learning, are technically easy to implement, and are applicable to online resources across a wide range of topics.

Assessment of a self-regulated learning intervention.

Following a pretest-posttest design with no control group, this paper evaluates the efficacy of an intervention program. Consisting of twelve sessions, the program endeavored to increase knowledge and use of self-regulated learning strategies, as well as study time, in 277 first-year students in the Spanish secondary education system. The intervention's efficacy was assessed in terms of three variables: knowledge of self-regulated learning strategies, use of self-regulated learning strategies, and study time. The results of post-intervention data analysis indicate that statistically significant changes occurred in students' knowledge of self-regulated learning strategies and weekly study time, but not in their use of self-regulated learning strategies. When the sample was stratified into three groups (high, moderate, and low) according to baseline scores on the dependent variables, our findings show that students in the lower group profited most from the intervention on all three variables. This suggests that participation in the program is especially useful for at-risk students (i.e. those with little knowledge and use of effective learning strategies).

Exploring the relationship between reading strategy use and multiple intelligences among successful L2 readers

Over the years, the multiple intelligences theory (MIT) proposed by Howard Gardner has renewed interest in learners’ use of effective learning strategies and produced interesting results. This MIT-oriented study investigated the role of successful L2 readers’ multiple intelligences in their effective use of reading strategies. To this end, a TOEFL reading comprehension test was administered to a cohort of 135 English as a foreign language students at several universities in the southwest and centre of Iran, and 80 students were identified as successful L2 readers based on the ETS rating scale and their TOEFL scores. Then, they answered an MI questionnaire originally developed by Armstrong and a reading strategies inventory adapted by Singhal. The data were quantitatively analysed using correlations and multiple regressions. The results revealed that linguistic, logical–mathematical and intrapersonal intelligences were the good L2 readers’ most dominant intelligences, while bodily intelligence was the least common type. In addition, they mostly employed metacognitive and cognitive strategies but rarely drew upon affective and compensation strategies while reading. Further, there was a significant positive relationship between linguistic, logical–mathematical, spatial, interpersonal, and intrapersonal intelligences and the use of metacognitive and cognitive reading strategies. Similar relationships were also found between linguistic intelligence and the participants’ use of memory strategy, on one hand, and between interpersonal intelligence and compensation and social strategy use, on the other. Importantly, linguistic and intrapersonal intelligences as well as metacognitive and cognitive strategy use were shown to be the best predictors of reading comprehension. Finally, the theoretical or pedagogical implications of the findings are discussed.

Staying Connected: Online Education Engagement and Retention using Educational Technology Tools

The objective of this article is to inform educators about the use of currently available educational technology tools to promote student retention, engagement and interaction in online courses. Educational technology tools include content management systems, podcasts, video lecture capture technology and electronic discussion boards. Successful use of educational technology tools requires planning, organization and use of effective learning strategies.

Enhancing Students’ Motivation to Learn: achievement goals in university classrooms

A two‐part study was undertaken with students enrolled in a first year university subject (development psychology). The theory of achievement goals formed the framework for the study. The first part of the study was designed to delineate students’ perceptions of the motivational ‘climate’ of the subject and to relate these perceptions to other theoretically relevant variables, including reported use of effective learning strategies and a positive approach to learning. To do this, students completed two questionnaires, one half‐way through the year and another at the end of the year. The second part of the study was an examination of students’ reactions to one aspect of the subject (the major assignment) that was structured specifically to enhance students’ mastery goal orientation. Aspects addressed included the nature of the task, evaluation procedures, amount of control given to students, and the option of working collaboratively or independently. In addition to questionnaire data, 54 students were interviewed about completing the major assignment to ascertain whether or not their reactions reflected those predicted by achievement goal theory.

Reflections on student‐centred learning in a large class setting

In many institutions increasing priority is being given to the educational goal of intellectual independence with course objectives placing more emphasis on the processes of learning and less on course content. While such objectives are readily achieved in the small class setting, this remains difficult in large class settings. In this paper we describe an attempt to pursue the student‐independence agenda in a large, first year management course and discuss the processes used, outcomes achieved and critical success factors perceived. While results to date show a pleasing increase in the use of effective learning strategies for independent learning by students, a significant minority of students have not responded positively to the independence goal. Concluding comments develop this aspect.

クラスの学習目標の認知が生徒の学業達成に及ぼす影響について

The purpose of this study was to examine how the salience of mastery and performance goals in actual classroom settings influence specific motivational processes and grading. One hundred fifty-one students were given questionnaires on their perceptions of the classroom goal orientation, concerning the use of effective learning strategies, the attitudes for a task, the causal attributions and opinions on grading. Students who perceived an emphasis on mastery goals in the classroom used more effective strategies, preferred challenging tasks, had more positive attitudes toward the class, and thought their grade useful for them. On the contrary, students who perceived performance goals as salient had more negative attitudes toward the class and grade. The two kinds of orientations also differed in causal attributions.

Achievement goals in the classroom: Students' learning strategies and motivation processes.

We studied how specific motivational processes are related to the salience of mastery and performance goals in actual classroom settings. One hundred seventy-six students attending a junior high/high school for academically advanced students were randomly selected from one of their classes and responded to a questionnaire on their perceptions of the classroom goal orientation, use of effective learning strategies, task choices, attitudes, and causal attributions. Students who perceived an emphasis on mastery goals in the classroom reported using more effective strategies, preferred challenging tasks, had a more positive attitude toward the class, and had a stronger belief that success follows from one's effort. Students who perceived performance goals as salient tended to focus on their ability, evaluating their ability negatively and attributing failure to lack of ability. The pattern and strength of the findings suggest that the classroom goal orientation may facilitate the maintenance of adaptive motivation patterns when mastery goals are salient and are adopted by students. Recent research on achievement motivation has focused on identifying different types of goal orientations among students, the motivational processes that are associated with these different goals, and the conditions that elicit them. These goal orientations have been contrasted as task involved versus ego involved (Maehr, 1983; Maehr & Nicholls, 1980; Nicholls, 1979, 1984; see also deCharms, 1968, 1976), as learning oriented versus performance oriented (Dweck, 1986, 1988; Dweck & Elliott, 1984), and as mastery focused versus ability focused (Ames, 1984a; Ames & Ames, 1984). Because the conceptual relations among task, learning, and mastery goals and among ego, performance, and ability goals are convergent, these perspectives have been integrated and are hereafter identified as mastery and performance goals, respectively (cf.