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Dissonance in first-year students’ reflections on their learning

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Abstract

This paper presents the findings of an interview study of first-year engineering students’ approaches to study. Data is presented to illustrate the construct of “dissonant study orchestration” as it is manifested in the everyday academic reality of these students’ learning behaviour. This data is theorised within a student’s-experiences-oflearning framework and patterns of study approach considered atypical of or theoretically undesirable within, the model used to determine them are presented and discussed. Individual-level, qualitatively different patterns of “dissonant” orchestration are articulated. The conclusion to the paper argues that the qualitative distinctions apparent amongst dissonant approaches present particular challenges to academic practitioners whose aim is the improvement of these students’ learning behaviour.

Résumé

L’auteur présente les résultats d’une enquête par entretiens auprès d’étudiants en première année d’études d’ingénieur. Les données sont présentées pour illustrer le concept d’orchestration des dissonances dans les études telle qu’il se manifeste dans la réalité quotidienne du comportement d’apprentissage de ces étudiants. Ces données sont théorisées dans un cadre d’expériences d’apprentissage chez des étudiants, et l’auteur présente et discute les patterns de stratégies d’étude considérées comme atypiques du modèle utilisé, ou théoriquement indésirables dans ce modèle. Au niveau individuel, différents patterns qualitatifs d’orchestration de la dissonance sont articulés. En conclusion, l’auteur soutient que les distinctions qualitatives manifestes dans les stratégies dissonantes présentent des défis particuliers aux praticiens de l’éducation dont le but est l’amélioration de ces comportements d’apprentissages chez les étudiants.

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Correspondence to Alan F. Cliff.

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Cliff, A.F. Dissonance in first-year students’ reflections on their learning. Eur J Psychol Educ 15, 49–60 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03173166

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