Abstract
This study investigates the study orchestrations of engineering students who enter three universities from disadvantaged school backgrounds and are admitted to academic support programmes. The first part of this study examines the characteristics of the entry group as a whole and, on the basis of an analysis of the self-reported study orchestrations of the individuals involved, it is concluded that a significant subgroup of individuals enter university with manifestations of undesirable study behaviour that has serious consequences for academic support.
The second part of this study examines the relationship between school study orchestration (as manifested on entry to university), subsequent study orchestration at two stages during the first year of study, and final outcome as evidenced in the end of year examination result. It is concluded that study orchestration is a relatively stable phenomenon for most individuals in the transition from school to university and that its early recognition can be a potential indicator of subsequent academic achievement depending on the nature of the assessment procedures employed in academic support programmes. The third part of this study investigates sources of variation in two subgroups of individuals whose study orchestrations change during the course of their first year. It is concluded that statistically significant, but different, sources of variation are associated with subgroups of individuals whose study orchestrations are either improving or deteriorating.
The overall conclusions of this study are seen to be far reaching in terms of informing the selection procedures and the educational practice of academic support programmes as well as of undergraduate education in general.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Boud, D., Keogh, R. and Walker, D. (eds.) (1985). Reflection: Turning experience into learning. Kogan Page, London.
Cross, C.T. (1990). ‘National goals: four priorities for Educational Researchers’, Educational Researcher 19(8): 21–24.
Educational Testing Service Annual Report (1990). Helping America Raise Educational Standards for the 21st Century. Princeton, New Jersey.
Eley, M.G. (1991). ‘Differential adoption of study approaches within individual students’ Higher Education 23, 231–254.
Entwistle, N.J. and Ramsden, P. (1983). Understanding student learning, Croom Helm, London.
Entwistle, N.J. and Kozéki, B. (1985). ‘Relationships between School Motivation, Approaches to Studying, and Attainment, among British and Hungarian Adolescents’, British Journal of Educational Psychology, 55: 124–137.
Entwistle, N.J., Meyer, J.H.F. and Tait, H. (1991). ‘Student failure: disintegrated patterns of study strategies and perceptions of the learning environment’, Higher Education, 21: 249–261.
Entwistle, N.J. (1992). ‘Student learning and study strategies’, in The Encyclopedia of Higher Education, Pergamon.
Fraser, B.J., Walberg, H.J., Welch, W.W. and Hattie, J.A. (1987). ‘Syntheses of Educational Productivity Research’, International Journal of Educational Research 11: 145–252.
Goodman, L.A. and Kruskal, W.H. (1979). Measures of Association for Cross Classifications. New York: Springer-Verlag.
Meyer, J.H.F. (1988). ‘Student perceptions of learning context and approaches to studying’, South African Journal of Higher Education 2: 73–82.
Meyer, J.H.F. (1991). ‘Study orchestration: the manifestation, interpretation and consequences of contextualised approaches to studying’, Higher Education, 22: 297–316.
Meyer, J.H.F. and Dunne, T.T. (1991). ‘The study approaches of Nursing students - Effects of an extended clinical context’, Medical Education, 25: 497–516.
Meyer, J.H.F. and Muller, M.W. (1990). ‘Evaluating the Quality of Student Learning. I - an unfolding analysis of the association between perceptions of learning context and approaches to studying at an individual level’, Studies in Higher Education, 15(2): 131–154.
Meyer, J.H.F., Parsons, P. and Dunne, T.T. (1990a). ‘Individual study orchestrations and their association with learning outcome’, Higher Education, 20(1): 67–89.
Meyer, J.H.F., Parsons, P. and Dunne, T.T. (1990b). ‘Study orchestration and learning outcome: Evidence of association over time among disadvantaged students’, Higher Education, 20(3): 245–269.
Meyer, J.H.F. and Watson, R. (1991). ‘Evaluating the quality of student learning. II - Study orchestration and the curriculum’, Studies in Higher Education 16: 251–275.
Ramsden, P. (1988). ‘Context and strategy. Situational influences on learning’, in R.R. Schmeck (ed.), Learning strategies and learning styles. New York: Plenum Press.
Ramsden, P., Martin, E. and Bowden, J. (1989). ‘School Environment and Sixth Form Pupils' Approaches to Learning’, British Journal of Educational Psychology, 59: 129–142.
Somers, R.H. (1962). ‘A new asymmetric measure of association for ordinal variables’, American Sociological Review, 27: 799–811.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Meyer, J.H.F., Dunne, T.T. & Sass, A.R. Impressions of disadvantage: I — school versus university study orchestration and consequences for academic support. High Educ 24, 291–316 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00128448
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00128448