What they think, what they expect, and what they practise : a multivariate analysis of students′ perceptions about teaching and learning in higher education

The teaching and learning environment in higher education in Australia and elsewhere in the developed world has undergone profound changes in the last two decades. The diversity of students has grown especially with variations in ethnic background and student demands. The existing literature has not provided clarity in terms of the effects on teaching and learning or on the way in which these changes shape what university students think about, expect from, and practise in the teaching and learning process. Employing a large data set of survey responses from a leading Australian university, this thesis provides an integrated analysis of three domains of student perspective of the teaching and learning process, specifically their study philosophy, beliefs, and attitudes; views and expectations about the purpose of university study in particular; and their actual study practices and efforts. Survey data were analysed in two stages. First, factor analysis, was used to explore themes (or dimensions) within three surveys. Multivariate analysis of variance was then undertaken using students′ factor scores as dependent variables, and age, sex, ethnicity, study discipline, study level, and academic performance as grouping variables. Three factors (Deep Learning, Expediency, and Responsibility) appeared to reflect university students′ study philosophy domain. These related to issues such as commitment, motivation, and pragmatic expediency. Students in business-related disciplines appeared to display greater expediency than peers in other disciplines, treating university education like any other commodity. Four factors (Approach to Teaching, Active Participation, Communication and Feedback, and Clarity of Focus and Purpose) reflect students′ views and expectations about the university teaching and learning process. These labels appeared to reflect students′ keen interest in the lecturer′s teaching approach, active participation in the teaching and learning process, and the lecturers′ responsiveness to students′ needs. Finally, four factors (Concordance and Engagement; Disconnection and Disengagement; Reflection and Realisation; and Learning Impediments) reflected students′ study practices and efforts. An exploration of the interrelationships among the three domains of students′ perceptions about teaching and learning in higher education suggested interdependence of study philosophy, beliefs, and attitudes, and effort-intensity variables, and those that reflected study practices. Intrinsically motivated students appeared to be the most engaged and active learners. By contrast, shallow learners passively expect the supplier to deliver the product they have bought and want to work only as hard as they need to. In turn, this core difference between students in their perceptions about the teaching and learning process in higher education is affected by their age, sex, ethnicity, study discipline, level of study, and academic performance. The thesis concludes with a discussion of the implications of the project and identifies areas of further research.