The relationship between teaching-learning environments and undergraduate students’ learning in higher education: a qualitative multi-case study
Date
2019-10-21
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Abstract
Ootused kõrgkooli lõpetanute omandatud õpiväljunditele on viimase kümne aasta jooksul muutunud: oodatakse, et lõpetajad on lisaks teoreetiliste teadmiste omandamisele arendanud ka üldpädevusi. See esitab omakorda väljakutseid kõrgkoolis õpetamisele. Doktoritöö eesmärgiks on selgitada, kuidas on omavahel seotud õppejõudude õpetamisviis, see tähendab nende loodud õppeaine õpikeskkond, üliõpilaste tajutud õpikeskkonna õppimist toetavad ja takistavad elemendid, üliõpilaste õppimise sügavus ja õpiväljundite kvaliteet. Eesmärkide täitmiseks viidi läbi kvalitatiivne mitme-juhtumi uuring, kus juhtumina käsitleti bakalaureuseõppe õppeainet ning õpetamise ja õppimise seoseid uuriti juhtumite lõikes võrdlevalt.
Uurimistöö tulemusena leiti, et mida enam õppejõud kirjeldasid õppimiskeskseid õpetamise elemente, seda enam üliõpilased kirjeldasid sügavat õppimist ja kvaliteetsete õpiväljundite saavutamist. Samuti leiti, et mida enam õppejõu õpetamisviisi kirjeldustes esines sisukesksele õpetamisele omaseid elemente, seda enam kirjeldasid üliõpilased pindmist õppimist ning madala kvaliteediga õpiväljundeid. Õpiväljundite kvaliteeti hinnati kõrgeks, kui teoreetilist teadmist kirjeldati vähemalt mõistmise tasemel ning kirjeldustes esines erinevaid õpiväljundeid. Võrreldes üliõpilaste kirjeldatud õpikeskkonna toetavaid ja takistavaid elemente ning seostades neid õppejõudude kirjeldatud õpetamisviisidega, leiti, et mida enam kirjeldasid õppejõud sisukeskset õpetamist, seda enam kirjeldasid üliõpilased õpikeskkonna elemente kui õppimist takistavad.
Doktoritöö olulise tulemusena võib järeldada, et lisaks õppimiskeskse õpetamisviisi elementidele (näiteks entusiastlik ja huvitav loeng, elulised näited, õppemeetodite variatiivsus, meeldiv atmosfäär, autentsed ja proovile panevad ülesanded) on oluline, et õpetamine sisaldaks elemente, mis struktureerivad, juhendavad ja toetavad üliõpilaste õppimist. Üliõpilaste õppimise sügavuse ja õpiväljundite kvaliteedi parandamiseks ei piisa ainult õppe- või hindamismeetodi muutmisest, vaid oluline on ka sidusus õpetamise elementide vahel, ülesannete juhendid ja interaktsiooni kvaliteet.
The last ten years have been challenging for the graduates’ of higher education. In addition to acquiring a deep understanding of disciplinary knowledge, students are also expected to develop generic skills. These expectations challenge university teaching. The aim of this dissertation was to explore the relationship between teaching (i.e. the teaching-learning environment of the courses developed by teachers) and: (i) the students’ perceptions of the elements of the teaching-learning environment that enhance or hinder their learning; (ii) the students’ approaches to learning; (iii) the quality of learning outcomes. To capture the relationship between the teaching of the courses and the students’ learning more deeply, this study used a qualitative comparative multi-case research design. The results of this study showed that the greater the teachers’ approach to teaching is learning-focused, the more likely are students to adopt deep approaches to learning and gain high-quality learning outcomes. The reverse is also valid. The greater is the teachers’ adoption of content-focused approach to teaching, the more likely are students to adopt the surface-approach to learning and obtain low-quality learning outcomes. The quality of learning outcomes was interpreted as high when the students’ descriptions of theoretical knowledge were at least on the level of understanding and they also described a variety of learning outcomes. In addition, this study found that the greater the teachers’ adoption of the content-focused approach to teaching, the more did students report elements of the teaching-learning environment that hindered their learning. In general, the results of this study suggest that it is insufficient to adopt elements that are inherent to the learning-focused approaches to teaching (e.g. enthusiastic and interesting lectures, variety in the teaching methods, a pleasant atmosphere, authentic and challenging course tasks) to support students’ learning. Still, the teachers’ guidance, and the teaching structure and support for learning are also crucial. Therefore, it is not enough to just change the method of teaching or assessment to support the adoption of deep approaches to learning or the development of high-quality learning outcomes. It is also important to develop a constructive alignment between the elements of the teaching-learning environment, the formulation of the instructions of the tasks and the quality of interaction.
The last ten years have been challenging for the graduates’ of higher education. In addition to acquiring a deep understanding of disciplinary knowledge, students are also expected to develop generic skills. These expectations challenge university teaching. The aim of this dissertation was to explore the relationship between teaching (i.e. the teaching-learning environment of the courses developed by teachers) and: (i) the students’ perceptions of the elements of the teaching-learning environment that enhance or hinder their learning; (ii) the students’ approaches to learning; (iii) the quality of learning outcomes. To capture the relationship between the teaching of the courses and the students’ learning more deeply, this study used a qualitative comparative multi-case research design. The results of this study showed that the greater the teachers’ approach to teaching is learning-focused, the more likely are students to adopt deep approaches to learning and gain high-quality learning outcomes. The reverse is also valid. The greater is the teachers’ adoption of content-focused approach to teaching, the more likely are students to adopt the surface-approach to learning and obtain low-quality learning outcomes. The quality of learning outcomes was interpreted as high when the students’ descriptions of theoretical knowledge were at least on the level of understanding and they also described a variety of learning outcomes. In addition, this study found that the greater the teachers’ adoption of the content-focused approach to teaching, the more did students report elements of the teaching-learning environment that hindered their learning. In general, the results of this study suggest that it is insufficient to adopt elements that are inherent to the learning-focused approaches to teaching (e.g. enthusiastic and interesting lectures, variety in the teaching methods, a pleasant atmosphere, authentic and challenging course tasks) to support students’ learning. Still, the teachers’ guidance, and the teaching structure and support for learning are also crucial. Therefore, it is not enough to just change the method of teaching or assessment to support the adoption of deep approaches to learning or the development of high-quality learning outcomes. It is also important to develop a constructive alignment between the elements of the teaching-learning environment, the formulation of the instructions of the tasks and the quality of interaction.
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Keywords
learning environment, higher education, learning results, quality, case analysis, didactics