From Reproduction to Construction: Bhutanese Higher Education Students' Attitudes towards Learning

Autor/inn/en	Stacy, Ivan; Bennett, Cathryn B.
Titel	From Reproduction to Construction: Bhutanese Higher Education Students' Attitudes towards Learning
Quelle	In: Cogent Education, 4 (2017) 1, Artikel 1305712 (23 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Stacy, Ivan)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	2331-186X
DOI	10.1080/2331186X.2017.1305712
Schlagwörter	Foreign Countries; Mixed Methods Research; Student Attitudes; Writing Assignments; Pretests Posttests; Learning Activities; Undergraduate Students; Behavior Change; Attitude Change; Program Effectiveness; Constructivism (Learning); Memorization; Quasiexperimental Design; Student Surveys; Semi Structured Interviews; Intervention; Factor Analysis; Bhutan + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; Schülerverhalten; Lernaktivität; Attitudinal change; Einstellungsänderung; Gedächtnistraining; Schülerbefragung; Faktorenanalyse
Abstract	The rationale for the study is the developing state of Bhutanese higher education, and Bhutanese students' current tendency to employ reproductive learning strategies. This research therefore aims to determine whether using non-linear, semi-autonomous learning activities encourages Bhutanese students to adopt constructivist attitudes towards learning. It does so by measuring Bhutanese students' attitudes towards their own learning, and by collecting qualitative and quantitative data about their behaviours and attitudes towards completing research assignments. The study used a mixed-methods design to examine the attitudes and approaches of students at Royal Thimphu College and Gaeddu College of Business Studies towards completing multi-stage written coursework assignments. Iterative pre- and post-tests of both sub-samples attempted to isolate effects of the two independent, yet similar, implementations of learning activities that required students to work semi-autonomously through non-linear research and writing processes. Since both subsamples were undergraduate students with similar demographics, equivalency of groups was presumed. However, statistical analysis did not support this assumption; controlling more for this factor may be an improvement for future scholars in this context. In addition to the pre- and post-test survey, a smaller number of students were interviewed in order to gain a more in-depth understanding of their attitudes. The results revealed that some students shifted towards constructive behaviours and attitudes after the learning activities, but that many continued to exhibit reproductive behaviours. Of particular interest were students' focus on micro-level error correction and enjoyment of autonomy in research assignments. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01