diversity deepening first-year students’ thinking the effects of deep approaches to learning on...
TRANSCRIPT
Diversity
DEEPENING FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS’ THINKING
The Effects of Deep Approaches to Learning on Three Outcomes
Thomas F. Nelson Laird, Tricia A. Seifert, Ernest T. Pascarella, Matthew J. Mayhew, & Charles F. Blaich
11/17/1136th Annual Conference of the Association for the Study of Higher
Education
Brief Background
College students should become Better thinkersMore prone to take up effortful cognitive
activityConsumers of literature
Deep approaches to learning (DAL)
DAL and cognitive outcomesRange of outcomes narrowMost studies very localized
Purpose
Estimate the relationship between DAL and three dimensions of cognitive development among a broad sample of first-year students
Data & Samples
Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education
19 institutions (3 research univ, 3 regional univ, 2 community colleges, 11 liberal arts)
Incoming, first-year, full-time students
Data collection fall 2006 and spring 2007
Dependent Measures
CAAP-CTT (half the sample got this)Captures students’ ability to clarify, analyze,
evaluate, and extend arguments (ACT)
Need for Cognition Scale (NCS)Measures one’s “tendency to engage in and
enjoy effortful cognitive activity” (Cacioppo et al., 1996)
Positive Attitudes toward LiteracyMeasures student’s enjoyment of literacy
activities (e.g., reading poetry & literature, reading scientific & historical material, & expressing ideas in writing)
Deep Approaches to Learning Overall DAL Scale
(Combination of 3 sub-scales below; = .82)
DAL Sub-ScalesHigher-order learning (4-items; = .75) Integrative learning (5-items; = .67) Reflective learning (3-items; = .76)
Analysis
CorrelationsWith precollege scoreWith end-of-first-year scorePartial correlation with end-of-first-year,
controlling for precollege score
Regression on end-of-first-year scoreWith overall DAL scaleWith 3 sub-scales
CAAP CTT Correlations HOL IL RL
Overall DAL Scale
Correlation with precollege score
.050 .093*** .175*** .126***
Correlation with end-of-first-year score
.045 .103*** .183*** .131***
Partial with end-of-first-year score controlling for precollege score
.009 .018 .073** .051
NCSCorrelations HOL IL RL
Overall DAL Scale
Correlation with precollege score
.256*** .318*** .349*** .382***
Correlation with end-of-first-year score
.271*** .350*** .382*** .414***
Partial with end-of-first-year score controlling for precollege score
.125*** .180*** .196*** .211***
PATLCorrelations HOL IL RL
Overall DAL Scale
Correlation with precollege score
.163*** .303*** .327*** .327***
Correlation with end-of-first-year score
.178*** .343*** .346*** .359***
Partial with end-of-first-year score controlling for precollege score
.086*** .185*** .163*** .184***
Regression Coefficients CAAP CTT NCS PATL
Overall DAL scale .028 .150*** .127***
Higher-order learning
-.027 .023 -.019
Integrative learning .007 .073** .113***
Reflective learning .060* .096*** .069***
Discussion & Implications
DAL related to all three outcomesReflective learning uniquely affected all
outcomes Integrative learning—unique effects on 2Higher-order learning—no unique effects
Institutions, faculty, & first-year students can do better
Better critical thinking tasks likely needed
DAL worked for all groups about equally
Future Research
More outcomes
More years
Critical thinking and similar measures
Thank you!
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