Abstract
The approaches to studying of mathematics and computer-science students were compared in the context of two courses in mathematics: one was a conventional, lecture-based course, and the second was a course that had been developed as a multimedia variant of the Personalised System of Instruction (or ‘Keller Plan’). The students were asked to complete the Approaches to Studying Inventory with regard to both of the courses. On the latter course students obtained higher scores on meaning orientation. This is consistent with the idea that appropriate interventions can bring about qualitative improvements in approaches to studying. The effect was only obtained in mathematics students using a between-subjects comparison that was vulnerable to sampling bias. However, the effect was significant in computer-science students, regardless of the nature of the comparison.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bligh, D.A. (1971). What's the Use of Lectures? Exeter: Exeter University Teaching Services Centre.
Dahlgren, L.O. and Marton, F. (1978). ‘Students' conceptions of subject matter: an aspect of learning and teaching in higher education’, Studies in Higher Education 3, 25-35.
Eley, M.G. (1992). ‘Differential adoption of study approaches within individual students’, Higher Education 23, 231-254.
Entwistle, N.J. and Ramsden, P. (1983). Understanding Student Learning. London: Croom Helm.
Entwistle, N. and Tait, H. (1990). ‘Approaches to learning, evaluations of teaching, and preferences for contrasting academic environments’, Higher Education 19, 169-194.
Erlebacher, A. (1977). ‘Design and analysis of experiments contrasting the within-and between-subjects manipulation of the independent variable’, Psychological Bulletin 84, 212-219.
Fransson, A. (1977). ‘On qualitative differences in learning: IV. Effects of intrinsic motivation and extrinsic text anxiety on process and outcome’, British Journal of Educational Psychology 47, 244-257.
Gibbs, G. (1992). Improving the Quality of Student Learning. Bristol: Technical and Educational Services.
Keller, F.S. (1968). ‘Good-bye, Teacher...’, Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis 1, 79-89.
Keller, F.S. and Sherman, J.G. (1974). The Keller Plan Handbook. Menlo Park, CA: W.A. Benjamin.
Kulik, J.A. and Kulik, C.-L.C. (1989). ‘Meta-analysis in education’, International Journal of Educational Research 13, 221-340.
Kulik, J.A., Kulik, C.-L.C. and Cohen, P.A. (1979). ‘A meta-analysis of outcome studies of Keller's Personalized System of Instruction’, American Psychologist 34, 307-318.
Kulik, J.A., Kulik, C.-L.C. and Cohen, P.A. (1980). ‘Effectiveness of computer-based college teaching: a meta-analysis of findings’, Review of Educational Research 50, 525-544.
Laurillard, D. (1979). ‘The processes of student learning’, Higher Education 8, 395-409.
Laurillard, D. (1984). ‘Learning from problem solving’, in Marton, F., Hounsell, D. and Entwistle, N. (eds.), The Experience of Learning. Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press, pp. 124-143.
Marton, F., Hounsell, D. and Entwistle, N. (eds.) (1984). The Experience of Learning. Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press.
Meyer, J.H.F. and Parsons, P. (1989). ‘Approaches to studying and course perceptions using the Lancaster Inventory: a comparative study’, Studies in Higher Education 14, 137-153.
Nielsen, H.D., Moos, R.H. and Lee, E.A. (1978). ‘Response bias in follow-up studies of college students’, Research in Higher Education 9, 97-113.
Parsons, H.M. (1974). ‘What happened at Hawthorne?’, Science 183, 927-932.
Rae, A. (1993). ‘Self-paced learning with video for undergraduates: a multimedia Keller Plan’, British Journal of Educational Technology 24, 43-51.
Rainey, G.L. (1981). ‘How to survive instructional innovation’, Engineering Education 72, 154-157.
Ramsden, P., Beswick, D.G. and Bowden, J.A. (1986). ‘Effects of learning skills interventions on first year university students' learning’, Human Learning 5, 151-164.
Ramsden, P., Beswick, D. and Bowden, J. (1987). ‘Learning processes and learning skills’, in Richardson, J.T.E., Eysenck, M.W. and Warren Piper, D. (eds.), Student Learning: Research in Education and Cognitive Psychology.Milton Keynes: SRHE and Open University Press, pp. 168-176.
Ramsden, P. and Entwistle, N.J. (1981). ‘Effects of academic departments on students' approaches to studying’, British Journal of Educational Psychology 51, 368-383.
Richardson, J.T.E. (1990). ‘Reliability and replicability of the Approaches to Studying Questionnaire’, Studies in Higher Education 15, 155-168.
Richardson, J.T.E. (1992). ‘A critical evaluation of a short form of the Approaches to Studying Inventory’, Psychology Teaching Review, 1, 34-45.
Richardson, J.T.E. (1995). ‘Using questionnaires to evaluate student learning’, in Gibbs, G. (ed.), Improving Student Learning Through Assessment and Evaluation. Oxford: Oxford Centre for Staff Development, pp. 499-524.
Richardson, J.T.E., Eysenck, M.W. and Warren Piper, D. (eds.) (1987). Student Learning: Research in Education and Cognitive Psychology. Milton Keynes: SRHE and Open University Press.
Sherman, J.G. (1976). ‘PSI: current implications. Closing the gap between the theory and practice of individualized instruction’, Programmed Learning and Educational Technology 13, 36-40.
Snyder, M. and Swann, W.B., Jr. (1978). ‘Behavioral confirmation in social interaction: from social perception to social reality’, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 14, 148- 162.
Svensson, L. (1977). ‘On qualitative differences in learning: III. Study skill and learning’, British Journal of Educational Psychology 47, 233-243.
Watkins, D. and Hattie, J. (1985). ‘A longitudinal study of the approaches to learning of Australian tertiary students’, Human Learning 4, 127-141.
Winer, B.J., Brown, D.R. and Michels, K.M. (1991). Statistical Principles in Experimental Design (3rd edn). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hambleton, I.R., Foster, W.H. & Richardson, J.T. Improving student learning using the personalised system of instruction. Higher Education 35, 187–203 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1003031601307
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1003031601307