Session Information
Session 4A, Teaching and learning in higher education (3)
Papers
Time:
2004-09-23
11:00-12:30
Room:
Chair:
Elinor Edvardsson Stiwne
Discussant:
Elinor Edvardsson Stiwne
Contribution
This study is part of a more extended research whose aim is to work from the quality approach to quality learning by university students. Finding and assessing evidences of resolution in the learning process may be useful in order to improve and better understand the learning and teaching processes in Higher Education. This research is based on the idea that learning is a long life process and that Higher Education pursues and tries to develop a professional qualification for graduates. The development of academic and professional competences in Higher Education is currently considered one of the main quality challenges and indicators. Within the European Higher Education Area, this proposal has become a perceived need and a priority, mainly for all the professionals working and involved at this education level. Teaching based on competences is looking for evidences and specific results as a result of the learning and teaching process. Thus, we ought to build a learning environment in the classroom where competences can be obtained, examined and evaluated. For this purpose important changes in the HE curricula should take place. In this study we evaluate the specific learning outcomes students show after a learning task. To carry out this evaluation, we suggest a simple and useful tool. The empirical study is based on the SOLO taxonomy (Structured Observed Learning Outcomes [Biggs and Collins, 1982]). The advantages of the SOLO taxonomy to assess outcomes at different levels of structural complexity were used to evaluate the evidences of resolution, which are the result of putting in practice two academic and professional competences: information analysis and critical thinking and reflection. As we are given a response, we may know the level of complexity for that particular answer. Later, we can classify students into five different levels with a growing structural complexity. The sample is made up of 232 Psychology students from the University of Minho in Braga (Portugal). After reading and analysing a text, these students had to explain and give suggestions on what they had read. When we analysed their answers, taking the SOLO taxonomy level as a reference, we got the following results: In general terms, most students gave answers on a relational level (62%). They had understood the task and the components of the answers were integrated into a coherent whole. These students were able to put in practice the competences of information analysis and critical thinking and reflection. Also, a number of students (38%) gave answers which could be classified into levels which indicate how to treat different aspects of the task but separately and without an integral understanding. This outcome encourages us to focus our work on key academic competences in a specific sense. In this study we also discuss the consequences for educational practice, for promoting student learning, and for a redefinition of the curricula. Keywords Professional and academic competences, learning outcomes, SOLO levels, assessment and university training.
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