Theory on student learning provides that students are able to direct their learning when they have metacognitive knowledge about their own learning processes. In this article, a preliminary attempt to assess untrained high-school students’ metacognitive knowledge of learning processes as an ability through multiple-choice questions is reported. In…

This article discusses the findings related to a number of research projects investigating students' expectations and experiences of the first year in higher education. In particular, findings with regard to first-year students' expectations and challenges with issues of time management are reported. It was found that many students were realistic…

In this article, an alternative for Tinto's integration theory of student persistence is proposed and tested. In the proposed theory, time available for individual study is considered a major determinant of both study duration and graduation rate of students in a particular curriculum. In this view, other activities in the curriculum, in…

The number of contact hours, one of the important institutional context factors, was examined and compared between Dutch and Vietnamese higher education at institute and student levels in Psychology and Business and/or Economics specializations. The quantity of contact hours per credit point given by institutions was investigated in a number of…

The present study focuses on motivational constructs and their effect on students' academic achievement within an existing statistics course. First-year Health Sciences students completed a questionnaire that measures several motivational constructs: dimensions of causal attributions, outcome expectancy, affect, and study behaviour, all with…

Recently, more students have entered Dutch higher education. This is a consequence of the possibility to offer students to enter higher education, with a certificate from senior secondary education (SSVE). In earlier days most students in higher education had passed senior general secondary education (SGSE), or even pre-university education. It is…

In a course on biological psychology and neuropsychology, study questions were provided that also appeared as test questions in the course exam. This method was introduced to support students in active processing and reproduction of the study texts, and study planning. Data were gathered to test the hypothesis that study question use would be…

This study investigated the impact of students' conceptions of constructivist learning activities on academic achievement and drop-out. Although constructivism represents an influential view of learning, studies investigating how students conceptualize this perspective have not been conducted before. A structural equation modelling approach was…

The objective of this paper is to describe and analyse the role that study groups might play in improving the entrepreneurial competencies of farmers. The most important competencies are described. Emphasis is placed on group learning processes and participatory approaches. Theories of adult learning and extension paradigms in relation to our…

Studied the relationships between learning styles as expressed in questionnaires and actual study strategies in a computer-assisted study environment (CASE) for 41 Dutch college freshmen. The diagnostic study task revealed differences between deep- and surface-learning students in orientation and planning activities, but not in actual study…

Investigated Dutch college students' motivation to commit themselves to studying in a problem-based health sciences curriculum, expressed in terms of levels of attendance at tutorial meetings. Data on functioning of the tutorial group, tutor functioning, prior knowledge level, quality of instructional problems, time spent on individual study,…

Employs a simple economic model to analyze determinants of Dutch college students' expected study duration and weekly effort. Findings show that the duration/effort ratio is determined by the relative prices of these inputs into the learning process. A higher socioeconomic status increases the duration/effort ratio. Higher ability levels decrease…

The purpose of this study is twofold: first, to examine to what extent the time students work on paid jobs is related to study-time (class attendance and time devoted to self-study) and second, to what extent the time students work on paid jobs is related to achievement. A number of 120 students from the problem-based Faculty of Health Sciences in…

Investigated ways students study texts, distinguishing between deep-level and surface-level approaches and extent to which approaches can be related to students' views on learning and quality of learning outcome. Found that higher quality learning outcome must be especially associated with deep-level approach and constructive learning conception.…

This research project investigated the relationship between students' pre-entry characteristics, perceptions of the learning environment, reported work discipline, the use of deep information processing strategies, and academic achievement. Ability measured by grade-point average in pre-university education was the most important predictor of…