Full prof.
Author(s):
Vlasta Hus (presenting / submitting) Minka Koprivnik
Conference:
ECER 2017
Network:
22. Research in Higher Education
Format:
Poster

Session Information

22 SES 05 B,

Poster Session

Time:
2017-08-23
13:30-15:00
Room:
K5.05
Chair:
Christine Teelken

Contribution

In the Official Journal of the European Union (Official Journal of the European Union, 2006) there are written and defined competencies, the development of which should be encouraged in students by all educational institutions. One of these competences is the competence of learning to learn, which is defined as "the ability to pursue and persist in learning, to organize one’s own learning, with includes effective management of time and information, both individually and in groups" (Official Journal of the European Union, 2006, p. 16). Learning to learn competence should enable an individual independent lifelong learning, the ability to achieve set learning goals, the knowledge of effective learning strategies and methods, self-confidence, and the ability to learn with and from others (Amalathas, 2010). At the same time this is an important factor in achieving efficient performance, which is, based on conducted studies, agreed upon by a number of researchers (Sladoje-Bošnjak, 2011; Wall, 2012; Sagitov, 2014; Peculea, 2015).

Learning to learn competence covers various factors of successful learning. Among the most important rank an efficient use of available time that is given to a student for learning as well as efficient acquisition, retrieval, collection and processing of information. Binder, Keller and Thiel (1999) state that researches showed that many learners do not know how to organise time that they are given to learn well, so it is very important that we teach students to organise time and create curricula, and also explain (Caruth, 2014) to them why a certain content is important, and how and where it will be used effectively in life. All this helps to maintain motivation for learning, from which it depends what the thoroughness of learning and the quality of achieved results will be like (Binder, Keller and Thiel, 1999).

Learning to learn competence does not develop automatically, therefore teachers represent an important factor in the transfer of this knowledge (Licardo, 2009). Teachers aiming to students’ becoming independent at learning are an important factor in effective development of learning to learn competence, and also an important factor in the learning performance of students, which is was confirmed by other researchers (James and others, 2006; Sagovita, 2014; Peculea, 2015), who state that teachers should help students and encourage them in self-directed learning.

The researches conducted (McCormic, 2006; Delač Felda, 2012) showed that introducing learning to learn competence to lessons represent a difficult task for teachers, as they state that they do not have enough expertise in this competence and are not acquainted with a lot of learning strategies. McCormick (2006) states that it is important that schools should collectively learn how to improve the way of teaching and learning, as this is the only way they can improve and develop learning to learn competence in students.

In our study, we were interested in how students of primary education at the faculties of education in Slovenia estimate the following: attitude towards education, their own way of studying, time and information management in organising learning, competence for teaching of learning to learn, gathering information, and the need for additional education to improve learning to learn competence.

Method

The study was based on descriptive and causal experimental method of empirical pedagogical research. In the sample 305 primary education students of year 4 level 1 and year 1 level 2 from the faculties of education in Slovenia in the academic year 2014/2015 were included. For data collection a questionnaire with validated measurement characteristics (validity, reliability and objectivity) was used. We used an anonymous questionnaire, which included a set of grading scales (statements) and the survey questions (multiple choice, semi-close-ended and dichotomous questions). The data were analysed using SPSS statistical program, where we used the frequency distribution (f, f%) of responses and basic descriptive statistics. Statistically (in)significant differences between individual factors were examined using the analysis of variance differences (ANOVA), where most frequently a general F-test was used. Where the assumption of homogeneity of variances was not justified, we listed an outcome of Welch’s F-test.

Expected Outcomes

The results showed that students have a very good attitude towards education and attach great importance to it. It was shown that students who rate their attitude toward education higher, estimate an assessment of their own way of learning higher as well, which is consistent with studies already conducted (Licardo, 2008). Most students highly assess their ability to manage the information in the organization of learning as an individual and in a group. Students estimate that their search and collecting of data do not present a major problem, and that they are able to clearly present new knowledge to others as well as effectively participate in such work in groups. It also showed that students who possess more developed skills for independent management of information in learning, have also more advanced capabilities for such work in groups. The ability of time management in the organization of individual’s learning is with students rated as high, while the ability of time management in the organization of group learning is rated as very poor. Students indicate that they organise time to study with independent work well, while working in groups presents problems in time management for them; they consider such work difficult. Having compared students’ own way of learning, we found that students who assess their ability to manage the time in the organization of learning as an individual better, also estimate their own way of studying better, while the average values in the assessment of time management in the organization of learning in a group show that students who assess their way of learning as poor, assess the ability of time management in group learning better.

References

Amalathas, E. (2010). Learning to Learn in Further Education. Reading: CfBT Education Trust. Retrieved 11. 10. 2015 from: http://www.campaign-for-learning.org.uk/cfl/assets/documents/Research/LearningToLearn_v5FINAL.pdf Binder, A., Keller, G. & Thiel, R. (1999). Spreminjanje učnih navad. Ljubljana: Center za psihodiagnostična sredstva, d.o.o. Caruth, G. (2014). Learning How to Learn: A Six Point Model for Increasing Student Engagement. Participatory Educational Research (PER), 1 (2), str. 1-12 Delač Felda, D. (2012). Vpeljevanje kompetence učenje učenja v pouk. V 1. mednarodna Konferenca o učenju in poučevanju matematike (str. 299-302). Ljubljana: ZRSŠ James, M., Black, P., Carmichael, P., Conner, C., Dudley, P., Fox, A. ... Wiliam, D. (2006). Learning How to Learn: Tools for schools. London in New York: Routledge. Licardo, M. (2008). Nekateri vidiki kompetence učenje učenja ter njena povezanost s šolskim učnim uspehom ob koncu primarnega, sekundarnega in terciarnega izobraževanja. Magistrsko delo. Univerza v Mariboru, Filozofska fakulteta, Maribor. Licardo, M. (2009). Učenje učenja. In 4. letna konferenca Kakovost za prihodnost vzgoje in izobraževanja (str. 18-21). Ljubljana: Slovenski institut za kakovost in meroslovje. Magajna, L. (1996). Kvalitativne značilnost in interaktivni procesi, ki vodijo do uspešnega učenja in izvajanja. In B. Marentič Požarnik (Ur.), Zbornik posveta; Kakovost preduniverzitetnega izobraževanja (str. 31-34). Maribor 24. in 25. maj 1996: Zavod Republike Slovenije za šolstvo. McCormick, R. (2006). Learning to learn: learning, teachers and schools. V U. Fredrikkson in B. Hoskins (Ur.), Learning to learn network meeting Report, Report from the second meeting of the network, November 2006 (38-42). Ispra: CRELL. Official Journal of the European Union. (2006). Retrieved 12. 12. 2014 from: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2006:394:0010:0018:EN:PDF Peculea, L. (2015). Curricular openings in developing the learning to learn competency: an intervention program for 11th graders with learning difficulties. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 209 (2015): 370 – 377. Retrieved 12. 1. 2015 from: http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.lib.ukm.si/eds/detail/detail?vid=11&sid=85e423d9-e697-42eb-acf1-77ba6f9f4325%40sessionmgr4003&hid=4202&bdata=Jmxhbmc9c2wmc2l0ZT1lZHMtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=S1877042815055998&db=edselp Sagitova, R. (2014). Students’ self-education: learning to learn across the lifespa. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 152 (2014): 272-277. Retrieved 12. 1. 2015 from: http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.lib.ukm.si/eds/detail/detail?vid=7&sid=85e423d9-e697-42eb-acf1-77ba6f9f4325%40sessionmgr4003&hid=4202&bdata=Jmxhbmc9c2wmc2l0ZT1lZHMtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=S1877042814052616&db=edselp Sladoje-Bošnjak, B. (2011). Teacher's psyhic characteristics and student's metacognitive strategies. In V. Kadum (Ur.), Monografija međunarodnog znanstvenog skupa I. dio; Suvremene strategije učenja i poučavanja (str. 285-294). Pula: Sveučilište Jurja Dobrile, Odjel za odgojne i obrazovne znanosti. Wall, Kate. 2012. It wasn’t too easy, which is good if you want to learn’:an exploration of pupil participation and Learning to Learn. The Curriculum Journal, 23 (3): 283–305. Retrieved 19. 11. 2015 from: http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.lib.ukm.si/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=85e423d9-e697-42eb-acf1-77ba6f9f4325%40sessionmgr4003&vid=3&hid=4202

Author Information

Vlasta Hus (presenting / submitting)
University of Maribor, Faculty of Education
Maribor
Minka Koprivnik
University of Maribor, Faculty of Education, Slovenia

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