Students' Approach to learning over time

Sheri Stover; Cindra Holland

doi:10.1016/j.nepr.2021.103026

Students' Approach to learning over time

Nurse Educ Pract. 2021 Mar:52:103026. doi: 10.1016/j.nepr.2021.103026. Epub 2021 Mar 13.

Authors

Sheri Stover¹, Cindra Holland²

Affiliations

¹ Wright State University, 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy, 445 Allyn Hall, Dayton, Oh, 45435-001, USA. Electronic address: sheri.stover@wright.edu.
² Wright State University, 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy, University Hall 134, Dayton, Oh, 45435-001, USA. Electronic address: cindra.holland@wright.edu.

PMID: 33799097
DOI: 10.1016/j.nepr.2021.103026

Abstract

This research study was conducted with one undergraduate nursing cohort at a mid-sized Midwestern university in the USA. The goal of this quantitative research study was to measure students' approach to learning to determine if they realized changes from the start to the finish of their program. Students were asked to complete the Approaches to Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST) on entry into the undergraduate program (ASSIST-1). Two years later, during their final semester, students completed the inventory again (ASSIST-2). Results showed students' top approach to learning was strategic learning, followed by deep learning and lastly surface learning. Students experienced no significant changes in their approach to learning during the two-year period. Suggestions are discussed on how to design classes to encourage deeper learning approaches and the impact of using strategic approaches.

Keywords: ASSIST survey; Learning; Study skills; Undergraduate nursing.

MeSH terms

Education, Medical, Undergraduate*
Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate*
Educational Measurement
Humans
Students, Nursing*
Universities