What is the best way to teach the new students? Should the academic material be communicated in an easily accessible or entertaining way – or is it fine if it is difficult so the students perhaps come to understand it later on? This was the topic for Health’s Education Fair which featured contributions from secondary school teachers, students and a professor who has spent thirty years doing research into learning.

2019.01.10 | Mette Louise Ohana

There are many views about how much the new students should be helped. But research shows that they must be met where they are now if they are to make progress academically. Photo: Colourbox.

Starting as a student at university can be a tall order, regardless of whether you come directly from upper secondary school, after a year off or have already completed a professional Bachelor’s degree and are starting on a Master’s. At Health, an average of eight per cent of the students drop out during the first year. Even though almost half of them drop out so they can change to a different degree programme, there are plenty of reasons to take a look at how members of the teaching staff meet the students during the first semesters and at the type of pedagogics and didactics being used. Both to prevent students from dropping out in the first place and also for the sake of those students who remain. The question is: what is actually the best way for the students to learn? The Education Fair at Health in December – with first-year didactics and pedagogics as its theme – offered some new insights.

Young people want to be entertained

To get some insight into the teaching young people are used to in the studies that they come from, Health had invited representatives from Aarhus Statsgymnasium upper secondary school and VIA University College to share their experiences.

The upper secondary school teachers explained that the pupils liked to be entertained. In order to maintain their interest, teachers have therefore designed their lessons, so they take place in shorter sequences with as much activation of the pupils as possible. Examples that are relatable for the pupils are selected for the teaching. The teachers have also begun to use IT less as in their experience it has shown that it is not the answer to everything. But on the other hand, they spend more time teaching their pupils about responsible use of IT such as how to search for material and take a critical look at information; because even though the pupils are digital natives, the teachers find that they can still be digitally illiterate.

An educational consultant from VIA explained that the major difference between the form of instruction at VIA and at the university was the close connection between theory and practice that is found in a professional Bachelor’s degree – and which is an advantage when it comes to learning. The students at VIA also learn academic competences, but as the practical approach also requires time and effort, it may well be that these students are not as well-trained in having an inquisitive and critical approach to knowledge.

A noticeable transition to the university

But what does it really feel like to start on a degree programme at Health? A number of students talked about the difficult transition from a very structured life in secondary school to a day-to-day life with fewer but more intense lessons, less coherence across subjects, demands for increased self-discipline, sole responsibility for registering for courses and exams, less feedback and a significant increase in academic level.

The students had some good advice to teachers and lecturers on the first academic year, including: try to begin at a level that everyone could follow; remind the students that the learning curve is exponential; maintain some coherence across subjects; and ensure there is information about or training in general study competences at the time when they are required. Clear academic requirements were also requested so that new students could better work out what they should focus on. Student activation was also highlighted as an important means for bringing all of the students into play. And it was also pointed out that it is relevant to teach the students that there is not necessarily a correct answer to everything, and that research is in fact about being challenged and exploring.

Researcher: The students' background knowledge is crucial

There is scientific evidence for the best way to teach students. Keynote speaker Jeroen J. G. van Merrienboer from Masstricht University has conducted research in the area for many years and he began his talk with a quotation by David Ausbubel from a book about educational psychology from 1968:

”If I had to reduce all of educational psychology to just one principle, I would say this: The most important single factor influencing learning is what the learner already knows. Ascertain this and teach him accordingly."

Merrienboer’s research deals with adapting instructional design to the students' level. According to him, there are no right or wrong methods. Rather, different methods are suitable in different situations, i.e. some for new students and others for more experienced students.

Give new students a gentle start

Research shows that in general, teachers should begin with the simple and gradually make things more difficult, because new students gradually develop cognitive schemas over time which make it possible to adopt new knowledge as it is combined with existing knowledge. At the same time, it is important to incorporate practical experience and examples from the student’s own world when they are new, as it is easier for them to connect this to theory, while the opposite is the case for experienced students.

He also encouraged the teaching staff to group the students according to their level or e.g. to structure part of the teaching as a database with assignments that students can choose between according to the level they are at. This might place greater demands on the teaching, but it is the best way for the students to learn new material.

Contact

Vice-dean for Education Charlotte Ringsted
Aarhus University, Health
Mobile: (+45) 9350 8222
Email: charlotte.ringsted@au.dk