1. 2011 Dr Philippa Kelly Principles for effective learning for university students

2. We need to understand effective learning There is a lack of sound and rigorous research into the processes that actually promote effective learning among university students ©

3. Think fresh! Much of what we think and do as academics in developing and implementing programs for university students is based on intuition or out-dated assumptions ©

4. Not all students are alike Little research has been undertaken to understand if and how learning might occur differently for:  Students at different award levels (Bachelors, Masters, Doctoral)  Students at different stages of a course  Students of different ages  Students of different enrolment status (internal, external, part-time, distance or totally off-campus) ©

5. What are your students like? Break into groups of 4. Define 5 key qualities of students in your discipline.

6. Key Principles There are eight key principles of teaching and learning: ©

7. WHY 1.University students have a need to know why they need to learn something before undertaking to learn it ©

8. What do students enjoy? 2.University students enjoy self-directed learning ©

9. Experience 3.University students have significant differences in the quantity and quality of their experience ©

10. Interaction 4.University students benefit from interaction with others undertaking the same learning experience ©

11. Diversity 5.University students expect differing perspectives and backgrounds to be afforded equal legitimacy ©

12. Relevance 6.University students are more ‘ready to learn’ when the learning event has direct relevance to their real-life situations ©

13. Reflection 7.University students’ learning is motivated and enhanced through the processes of ‘reflection’ ©

14. Internal motivators 8.‘Internal motivators’ are the most potent for university students Group work: what might internal motivators be? ©

15. Key internal motivators These include: Feeling of worth Self-esteem Status among peers Confidence

16. Explaining Principle 1: the ‘Why’ University students have a need to know why they need to learn something before undertaking to learn it Action plan: Learning goals, objectives and values should be clearly communicated as an initial component of the learning program. ©

17. University students enjoy self-directed learning Prior conditioning as dependent learners, largely gained through their childhood schooling, means that university students – particularly at undergraduate level – need to be shown HOW to be independent learners Action plan: As far as possible, university programs should be designed to allow students to take responsibility for their own learning Explaining principle 2: enjoyment = self-directed learning

18. Explaining principle 3: experience University students have significant differences in the quantity and quality of their experience What are the kinds of experiences your students might have had, in contrast with the experience with which they come to childhood schooling? Action Plan: University programs should provide options for individualised approaches and strategies for the learning paths of individual students ©

19. University students benefit from interaction with others undertaking the same learning experience How can students learn from each other? Action Plan: The design and development of learning products should emphasise experiential learning over simple transmission of knowledge, and place an emphasis on peer-helping techniques © M Explaining Principle 4: learning from peers

20. Explaining principle 5: diversity University students expect differing perspectives and backgrounds to be equally appreciated If university learning ignores or devalues the students’ experiences, “they perceive this as not rejecting just their experience, but rejecting them as persons” (Knowles,1990) Action plan: Learning products should be designed so as to emphasise the value and usefulness of the learner’s experience when undertaking the learning process ©

21. Explaining principle 6: relevance University students are more ‘ready to learn’ when the subject has direct relevance to their real-life situations Action Plan: Programs should be designed so as to emphasise to the learners that the learning event has direct relevance to their real-life situations ©

22. Explaining principle 7: reflection University students’ learning is motivated and enhanced through the processes of ‘reflection’ Reflection is about understanding and evaluating the meaning and relevance of the learning event in terms of the experiences and life situations of the learner (Schon, 1983) Action Plan: Reflective opportunities and challenges should be an integral design feature of the learning product ©

23. Explaining principle 8: internal motivators ‘Internal motivators’ are the most potent for university students Internal motivators include self-esteem, recognition, better quality of life, increased job satisfaction, greater self-confidence, and self-actualisation (Maslow,1970) External motivators include better jobs, promotions, and higher salaries Action plan: Programs should be designed so as to enhance ‘internal’ motivators to learn, such as ensuring that the learner is exposed to success and is provided with positive feedback during the learning event. ©

24. Learning Retention associated with teaching/ learning processes

25. GROUP WORK PRINCIPLE 1 Break into small groups. Consider your discipline and nominate five learning tasks for first year students. Give five reasons why students should learn these tasks. Now nominate three tasks that seem irrelevant. Give three reasons why students should learn these things anyway.

26. GROUP WORK PRINCIPLE 2 Consider 5 methods through which first-year students in your discipline can learn in self-directed ways.

27. GROUP WORK PRINCIPLE 3 What kinds of backgrounds do your students come from? How can you individualize their learning?

28. GROUP WORK PRINCIPLE 4 Name 5 methods through which your students can learn via experience rather than via traditional knowledge transmission

29. GROUP WORK PRINCIPLE 5 How might Principle 5 address the needs of Saudi women learners?

30. GROUP WORK PRINCIPLE 6 What are some real-life situations that are relevant to students in your discipline?

31. GROUP WORK PRINCIPLE 7 What are some reflective opportunities and challenges that can be built into your discipline as integral design features of the learning product?

32. GROUP WORK PRINCIPLE 8 What are some internal motivators for students in your discipline? My thanks to Prof Larry Smith for input into these slidesMy thanks to Prof Larry Smith for input into these slides