earli2013: international students’ approaches to learning, learning experiences, and stress

Yusuke SAKURAI, Doctoral student, [email protected] 127.08.2013Slides available at http://goo.gl/JjuMfu

International students’ approaches to learning, learning experiences and stressThe engagement in learning: A comparison between Asian and European university international students

Yusuke SAKURAIAnna Parpala, Kirsi Pyhältö, and Sari Lindblom-Ylänne University of Helsinki


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1

2

3

4

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Worldwide

3,673,9252009

Europe

1,672,4222009

OECD. (2011). Education at a Glance 2011: OECD Indicators: OECD Publishing.

Background


There are not many studies that focus on different

international student groups in the same educational

context.

Comparative research attempts on the associations

among the various dimensions of the teaching-

learning environment, students' learning and outcomes

have been scares.

Self-fulfilling prophecy

Background


Framework3P model (Biggs 1987)

Academic Engagement (Fredricks, Blumenfeld, & Paris

2004, National Survey of Student Engagement 2005)


Deep approach

− Making sense of main points

− Making real life connection

− Linking different bits

− Looking at evidence

− Reasoning

Approaches to learning and studying


Surface approach

− Rote-learning and reproducing information

− Learning aimlessly

− Learning less organised bits and pieces



Organised/achieving/strategic approach/studying

− Managing one's effort

− Organising one's study time

− Taking control on one's study




Organised

studying

Deep

approach

Surface

approach


Methodology


307 BA & MA international students

Participants


Modified ETLQ (Experiences of Teaching and Learning Questionnaire) (Entwistle, McCune, and Hounsell 2003)

− Teaching-learning environment (40 items)

− Approaches to Learning (18 items)

− Self-assessed study success scale (1 item)

“How well do you think you are doing in your overall program as

a whole?”

Instruments - 1


Single-item stress scale (Elo, Leppinen, and Jahkola 2003)

“Stress means a situation in which a person feels

tense, restless, nervous or is unable to sleep at night because his/her

mind is troubled all the time. Have you felt this kind of stress

recently?”(1=not at all - 9=very much)

Instruments - 2


Procedures

Factor analysis (SPSS, R)

− Teaching-learning environment

− Approaches to learning


Procedures

Association Model (Path analysis) (AMOS)


Procedures

Multiple group analysis (AMOS)

t-test (R)


Results


Items Factor loadings

F1: TEACHING FOR UNDERSTANDING (a=.95) F1 F2 F3 F4 F5

12. We are not just given information; the teachers explain how knowledge is developed in my discipline. .903 .036 -.142 -.049 -.030

13. The teaching encourages me to rethink my understanding of some aspects of the course contents. .809 -.123 .173 -.074 -.035

28. The teachers help us to see how you think and reach conclusions. .797 .045 -.073 .068 -.056

････････････F2: ORGANISATION & ALIGNMENT(a=.86)

1. It is clear to me what I am expected to learn in the courses. -.135 .748 .112 .048 -.014

2. The topics in the courses seem to follow each other in a way that makes sense to me. .079 .744 -.048 -.024 .174

････････････F3: PURPOSEFUL COURSE ASSIGNMENT (a=.86)

36. Doing assignments helps me to think about the course contents. -.100 -.118 .740 .126 .207

33. I can see how the assignments and study activities fit in with what we are supposed to learn. .028 .144 .682 -.019 .059

39. Assignments help me to make connections to my existing knowledge or experience. .004 -.069 .671 .071 .174

････････････F4: SUPPORTIVE CLIMATE (a=.73)

24. Talking with other students helps me to develop my understanding. .099 -.092 .177 .715 -.088

21. Students support each other and try to give help when it is needed. -.026 .158 -.105 .691 -.004

････････････F5: RELEVANCE & INTEREST (a=.75)

22. I find most of what I have learned in courses really interesting. .072 .163 .069 .096 .587

8. I can imagine myself working in my discipline (subject area) as it has been covered in the courses. .042 .177 .050 -.110 .461

････････････

Factors of the teaching-learning

environment

Teaching for understanding

Organisation & alignment

Purposeful course assignment

Supportive climate

Relevance & interest



F1: DEEP APPROACH (a=.77) F1 F2 F3

10. When I am writing and communicating ideas, I think over how well I get my points across. .678 .028 .065

9. I look at evidence carefully to reach my own conclusion about what I am studying. .663 .056 .025

8. When reading academic texts, ideas set me off on long chains of thought. .591 .099 .140

12. It is important for me to follow the argument or to see the reasons behind things. .591 -.065 -.170

16. When reading, I try to find out for myself exactly what the author means. .574 -.051 -.129

6. In making sense of new ideas, I relate them to practical or real life contexts. .485 -.025 .059

18. If I do not understand things well enough when studying, I try a different approach or study method. .379 .028 -.090

F2: ORGANISED STUDYING (a=.73)

11. I organise my study time carefully to make the best use of it. -.071 .957 .041

7. On the whole, I am systematic and organised in my studying. .063 .630 -.060

4. I put a lot of effort into my studying. .156 .408 -.108

F3: SURFACE APPROACH (a=.64)

5. Much of what I learn seems to be unrelated bits and pieces in my mind. .071 .037 .892

17. I study without seeing where I am going. .011 -.160 .522

1. I have trouble making sense of the things I have to remember. -.093 .022 .410

Approaches to learning

Deep approach

Organised studying

Surface approach


The relation among the teaching-learning environment,

student cognitive engagement and outcomes

c2(13)=25.12, p=.022 (CFI=.981, GFI=.981, TLI=.959 and RMSEA=.055)

−Destructive friction (Vermunt and Verloop, 1999)

−Supportive

climate?

# Model df c2 p RMSEA TLI CFI AICNested

modelsDdf Dc2 p

1 Structural invariant (baseline) 26 34.984 .112 .037 .966 .984 158.98

2 Structural weight invariant 37 51.909 .053 .040 .961 .974 153.91 2-1 11 16.925 .110

3a Model 2 + Structural intercepts invariant 42 66.153 .010 .048 .944 .958 158.15 3a-2 5 14.243 .014

3b Model 2 + Structural means invariant 40 59.151 .026 .044 .953 .967 155.15 3b-2 3 7.241 .065

Model 1

Model 2 Model 3b

Model 3a

Comparison of the models between the Asian and European students


Comparison of the models between the

Asian and European students


Asian (n=93) European (n=161) p Effect size d*

Scales (1 to 5 unless specified) M SD M SD

Teaching for understanding 3.87 0.79 3.65 0.73 .021 0.28 (small)

Organisation & alignment 3.74 0.90 3.78 0.75 ns 0.05

Purposeful course assignments 3.96 0.78 3.79 0.71 ns 0.23 (small)

Supportive climate 3.79 0.90 3.78 0.81 ns 0.01

Relevance & interest 3.82 0.89 3.77 0.75 ns 0.06

Deep approach 3.81 0.63 3.70 0.56 ns 0.19

Organised studying 3.58 0.70 3.36 0.87 .041 0.26 (small)

Surface approach 2.53 0.78 2.27 0.90 .018 0.32 (small)

Stress (1 to 9) 4.75 2.21 4.84 2.26 ns 0.04

Study success (1 to 9) 6.55 1.43 6.73 1.23 ns 0.14

Notes: * d≧ 0.2 (small), 0.5 (medium), 0.8 (large) (Cohen 1992).

The means of the teaching-learning

environment dimensions, approaches to

learning, study success and stress


Purposeful course assignments & relevance and interest → deep approach and organised studying

Deep approach & organised studying → study success

Course organisation & alignment → ▽stress

Some small differences between Asian and European students (ns difference in the deep approach)

Challenges in facilitating supportive learning experience for international students?

Concluding remarks


F1: TEACHING FOR UNDERSTANDING (a=.95) F1 F2 F3 F4 F5

12. We are not just given information; the teachers explain how knowledge is developed in my

discipline.

.903 .036 -.142 -.049 -.030

13. The teaching encourages me to rethink my understanding of some aspects of the course contents. .809 -.123 .173 -.074 -.035

28. The teachers help us to see how you think and reach conclusions. .797 .045 -.073 .068 -.056

16. The courses have given me a sense of what goes on ‘behind the scenes’ in my discipline. .774 -.141 -.067 -.118 .304

14. The different types of teaching and learning opportunities (lectures, tutorials, labs, class

discussions, group work etc.) support each other well.

.723 -.077 .167 -.028 .011

23. The teachers try to share their enthusiasm about the course contents with us. .656 .102 -.237 .215 .142

17. The teaching helps me to think about the evidence underpinning different views. .644 -.153 .136 -.040 .238

19. The teaching encourages me to relate what I have learned about the issues to a wider context. .605 -.120 .298 -.025 .019

10. In courses, I am prompted to think about how well I am learning and how I can improve. .596 .197 -.013 -.014 -.008

30. The courses provide plenty of opportunities for me to discuss important ideas and topics. .572 .001 .020 .193 .009

7. We are encouraged to look for links between the course contents. .527 .144 -.001 -.032 .012

25. The teachers are patient in explaining things which seem difficult to grasp. .480 .075 .125 .156 -.075

40. The feedback given on my work helps to clarify things I have not fully understood. .449 .141 .201 .031 -.021

20. The web resources provided/referred to by the staff help me to understand the topics better. .444 .013 .314 .032 .020

15. Plenty of examples and illustrations are given to help us to grasp things better. .442 .235 .150 .027 .010

27. Students’ views are valued in the courses. .411 .120 .088 .157 -.037

18. How the courses are taught fit in well with what we are supposed to learn. .392 .218 .352 -.217 .139

F2: ORGANISATION & ALIGNMENT(a=.86)

1. It is clear to me what I am expected to learn in the courses. -.135 .748 .112 .048 -.014

2. The topics in the courses seem to follow each other in a way that makes sense to me. .079 .744 -.048 -.024 .174

4. The courses are well organised and run smoothly. .009 .697 -.056 .085 .155

6. What we are taught seems to match what we are supposed to learn. .167 .523 .106 -.066 .179

3. We are given a good deal of choice on how we go about studying. -.043 .428 .023 .057 .267

F3: PURPOSEFUL COURSE ASSIGNMENT (a=.86)

36. Doing assignments helps me to think about the course contents. -.100 -.118 .740 .126 .207

33. I can see how the assignments and study activities fit in with what we are supposed to learn. .028 .144 .682 -.019 .059

39. Assignments help me to make connections to my existing knowledge or experience. .004 -.069 .671 .071 .174

32. I am encouraged to think about how best to tackle assignments. .275 .101 .565 .028 -.227

31. It is clear to me what is expected in the assessed work (i.e., final exam, exercises, study diaries,

essay reports).

.070 .361 .535 -.085 -.320

earli2013: international students’ approaches to learning, learning experiences, and stress

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