Inefficient study skills increase the probability that study work is perceived as difficult and aversive, with procrastination as a likely result. As a remedy, more effective study skills and habits may be encouraged. However, research indicates that good study skills and habits may not by themselves be sufficient to remedy problems, as this…

Relationships between learning environment variables and students' approaches to studying have been investigated from many points of view over the last decades. However, few studies have explored whether such relationships are stable over time. In the two consecutive cross-sectional analyses performed in this study, Norwegian occupational therapy…

This article explores the impact of cultural resources on success and aspirations among second-generation immigrants in higher education in Norway. We investigate whether and how cultural resources are converted into advantages in higher education. The data consist of cross-sectional survey data and in-depth interviews with Norwegian students of…

This article explores beginner student and staff perspectives of study preparedness across higher education institutions and disciplines in Norway, focusing on writing, reading and academic working skills. Drawing on focus group interviews among academic staff and students, findings show a certain academic unpreparedness by beginner students.…

Background: Research into occupational therapy students' approaches to studying is growing, and research has shown approaches to studying to be associated with academic performance. However, learning conceptions and preferences for teaching among occupational therapy students have rarely been reported, and their relationships to study approaches…

Background: Students' preferences for teaching have been associated with their own approaches to studying. However, whether teaching preferences are associated with a set of student characteristics is yet unknown. Aim: To investigate whether sociodemographic, education-related and personal factors were associated with preferences for teaching…

Formative assessment can serve as a catalyst for increased student effort and student learning. Yet, many engineering degree programmes are dominated by summative assessment and make limited use of formative assessment. The present case study serves as an example on how formative assessment can be used strategically to increase student effort and…

This article explores how individualized teaching methods, such as the use of work plans, create new student strategies in Norwegian lower secondary classrooms. Work plans, which are frequently set up as instructional tools in Norwegian classrooms, outline different types of tasks and requirements that the students are supposed to do during a…

A vital part of student learning is the construction of mental structures encompassing categories believed to affect learning outcome. In this study we investigate this research question through the lenses of a constructivist approach. As the first study on our research question at high school in Norway, our empirical findings make up the main…

Four validation studies of different versions of the Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI) were performed by means of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Six samples of undergraduate students participated (N = 4,038), drawn from different bachelor programs in selected university college departments. The results gave limited support to…

It has been claimed that perceived academic control (AC) in combination with preoccupation with failure (PWF) produces a strong motivation for success, and the interaction (AC x PWF) has been shown to predict academic achievement. In a prospective study, 442 first year psychology students completed a questionnaire about their background, study…

The present paper is a case study that explores the study experiences and possible costs of success for the students accepted into the professional program in psychology at the University of Bergen in Norway. In this highly competitive environment, between 500 and 1000 students compete for 36 places during the introduction year. The study is based…

A Norwegian translation of the Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI-32) was administered to 1477 adult students attending flexible study programs in higher education in Norway (2004-05). The intention was to investigate their approaches to studying, taking into account their educational backgrounds and their present, challenging study conditions.…

In this paper we present findings from a study of students' use of mobile phones in a biology course at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). Using a qualitative research approach we focus on how mobile phones can complement and add value to the educational challenge of encouraging university students to obtain some topic…

This article reports the findings of a study investigating the learning and study strategies of advanced music students and the manner in which their self-efficacy beliefs relate to the strategies employed. Participants were first-year students in Norwegian higher music education aged 18 to 43 years. They were asked to fill out a questionnaire…