Factors influencing the study methods of Australian tertiary students

Abstract

Two studies are reported which examine factors influencing the approach to study of Australian tertiary students from a traditional, psychometric perspective (supported by student comments). Study I, with 199 first year students as subjects, indicates that being interested in the subject, seeking an honours grade, and being assessed by essay rather than multiple choice examinations are factors which independently encourage the student to adopt a deep level approach to study. Student comments suggest that the lecturer's enthusiasm and teaching ability has a significant impact on student interest level. Lack of time for study is another factor seen as leading to a surface level approach. Tertiary study was often seen as requiring a deeper approach and harder work. Comments of mature age entrants showed that in general they had thought more about the learning process and had not wandered into tertiary education like some of the recent school leavers. Study II was a conceptual replication of the work of Ramsden and Entwistle, which appeared in the 1981 volume of the British Journal of Educational Psychology. The responses of 292 senior year students indicated that students adopting a deep level approach to study were more likely to perceive their courses as encouraging independence in both attitudes and approach to learning and as being challenging but not over burdening. These results were discussed in terms of the need for students and lecturers to think more about the learning process itself and the need for more to be done to assist the transition to tertiary learning of recent school leavers.