Institute of education and information sciences

Research indicates that inciting a deep approach to learning in all students is far from obvious. To gain more insight in the development of students' approaches to learning, the idea of 'study approach profiles', conceptualised as 'similar patterns in approaches to learning adopted by subgroups of students', is explored. This study therefore aims at answering the following questions: (RQ1) Do students change their approaches to learning after experience with a learning environment? (RQ2) What study approach-profiles can be distinguished? (RQ3) Do students with a different study approach profile evolve differently on their study approaches when confronted with the same learning environment? (RQ4) Are student characteristics (age, gender, student status, year of participation in course) related to the development in these approaches to learning? Two cohorts of students in a teacher-training course completed questionnaires measuring their approaches to learning, in a pre-test post-test design. Initial paired sample t-tests indicated that students did not change their approach to learning significantly during the course. Cluster-analysis revealed 5 clusters, a High Ambivalent Profile (HAP), a Deep Approach Profile (DAP), a Moderate Ambivalent Profile (MAP), a Surface Approach Profile (SAP) and a Fallen Angels Profile (FAP). Paired sample T-tests for these clusters indicated that approaches to learning of students with a different profile develop differently during the learning environment. A four way multivariate analysis of variance showed a main effect of the clusters on the differential scores for both a surface and a deep approach to learning. No main or interaction effects with student characteristics were found. Results of analyses show that, while the student-group as a whole did not change their approach significantly, different subgroups did and did so in different ways. These findings nuance to some degree the findings of previous research and plead for a more differentiated view on approaches to learning.

Today's students belong to an interactive generation and receive information through multiple channels. In addition, veterinary medicine curricula are changing due to trends such as student-centered education and competence-based learning. In consequence, we were stimulated to rethink the way in which veterinary gross anatomy was taught and assessed.

Today's students belong to an interactive generation and receive information through multiple channels. In addition, veterinary medicine curricula are changing due to trends such as student-centered education and competence-based learning. In consequence, we were stimulated to rethink the way in which veterinary gross anatomy was taught and assessed.

The aim of the present study is to explore changes both in approaches to learning as well as in students' experiences of the teaching-learning environment and how these changes are related to each other during their Bachelor studies by using a longitudinal data set. The aim is further to explore how students' approaches to learning and their perceptions of the teaching-learning environment relate to study success. Participants comprised of 103 students at the Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences who participated in the present study from the first to third year of their Bachelor degree studies. We used a modified version of the ETLQ questionnaire and conducted Confirmatory factor analyses on scales representing approaches to learning and the teaching-learning environment at both measurements. We investigated changes at the group level using a paired sample t-test and conducted the final analysis with regression analyses. We then used Structural Equation Modelling to analyse the relationship between approaches to learning, perceptions of the teaching-learning environment, and study success. The results showed an increase in the deep approach to learning and a decrease in students' perceptions of teaching for understanding. Organised studying and interest in studies were related to study success. The results reveal the existence of complex relations between changes in approaches to learning and perceptions of the teaching-learning environment.

This study investigates the motives for teacher attrition of newly qualified teachers who never started a teaching career and those dropping out after a short period. A survey was conducted among teachers with (N = 154) and without (N = 81) teaching experience. Five reasons for attrition were discerned: job satisfaction, school policies, workload, future prospects and relations with parents. The results demonstrated that a lack of future prospects was the predominant reason for attrition. The effect of teaching experience was significant for most motives, in addition to the impact of gender or teaching qualification. Teachers with experience do not take exit decisions lightly.