The relationship between university students' perceptions of their academic environment, their approaches to study, and academic outcomes was investigated at both university and faculty levels. The responses of a large, cross-disciplinary sample of undergraduate students were analysed using higher order path and regression analyses, and the results confirmed students' perceptions as influencing both 'hard' (academic achievement) and 'soft' (satisfaction, development of key skills) learning outcomes, both directly and mediated through their approaches to study. Perceptions of heavy workload and inappropriate assessment influenced students towards surface, and perceptions of good teaching towards deep, approaches to study. Students' perceptions of their current learning environment were a stronger predictor of learning outcomes at university than prior achievement at school. Protocols are proposed to guide more fine-grained analysis of students' perceptions.

http://reforma.fen.uchile.cl/Papers/Learning%20Environment%20and%20Academic%20Outcomes%20-%20Lizzio%20Wilson%20Simons.pdf

University Students' Perceptions of the Learning Environment and Academic Outcomes: Implications for theory and practice

There is a growing interest in the concept of 'competence learning' in various areas of education, training and professional development. Competences are commonly assumed to represent more than the levels of knowledge and skills and to account for the effective application of available knowledge and skills in a specific context. But, with this trend, the term 'competence' is being used in many different ways. How are competencies thought to relate to knowledge, skills and attitudes, and what meaning and validity do various claims about competences have? The competence concept is quite troublesome, and it is argued that the term has no significance beyond that which is associated with the term 'skills'.

Competences in education: A confusion of tongues

This study investigated the extent to which a course, designed using peer and action learning principles to function as an ‘on campus practicum’, can develop the professional capabilities of students. As part of their formal coursework, third year behavioural science students, functioning as ‘student consultants’, entered into a ‘client–consultant’ relationship with first and second year ‘student client’ groups. Both groups of students reported positive learning outcomes. Third year student consultants reported using less surface and more deep approaches to their learning in this course design than in concurrent courses taught along more conventional (i.e. lecture and tutorial) lines. Students also reported significantly greater development of meta‐adaptive skills (e.g. learning to learn) than in conventional teaching designs.

http://reforma.fen.uchile.cl/Papers/Action%20Learning%20in%20Higher%20Education%20&%20Professional%20capability%20-%20Lizzio,%20Wilson.pdf

Action Learning in Higher Education: an investigation of its potential to develop professional capability

In traditional face-to-face classrooms, collaborative learning has been endorsed as an effective pedagogy that fosters skills of analysis, communication and higher order thinking. Increasingly, as online learning environments for tertiary learners make use of course support systems, there is greater recognition of the potential of communications technologies to foster dialogue, networking and team skills among learners. Such skills are now among the recognised core attributes that graduates are expected to develop. In face-toface classroom students learn the skills of collaboration and teamwork by engaging in tasks defined and supervised by a teacher. In online environments teacher presence is often limited to task definition, management and feedback functions. Team skills and collaboration therefore need to be supported though different pedagogies and processes such as establishing a climate of trust and openness, communication protocols, resolution of conflict and group processes that provide sanctions and support. In this paper we describe an innovative approach to building the skills of decision-making and conflict resolution, leadership and clarity in goal setting and communication. A case study of tertiary learners illustrates how the essential aspects of task definition, resources to support group learning and integrated online assessment foster team skills.

A Learner-Centred Approach to Developing Team Skills through Web-Based Learning and Assessment.

The author summarises the findings of a three-year study, undertaken by a team of researchers from the Australian Catholic University, on the ethical issues facing contemporary educational leaders. A challenge for educational leaders is to build cultures of capability where all organisational members have a sense that they are valued and that they contribute to the leadership of the organisation. The ultimate challenge for leaders is to develop their own and others capabilities so that their organisations can flourish in complex, uncertain, unpredictable and rapidly changing environments.

Educational leadership: key challenges and ethical tensions

Art and design business management engineering bodies humanities and social science sciences and mathematics teacher education professional bodies recommendations

James Armstrong

Papers

Quality in learning : a capability approach in higher education