SciFER Grant 2000_3

 

 

List of Publications on Memorising Project

(information supplied by Sue Gordon)                     

 

Conference Papers

Cooper, I., Frommer, M., Gordon, S., Nicholas, J. (2001). Perspectives of university teachers on the role of memorising in learning science.  Paper presented at the Conference: Changing Identities, Changing Knowledge.  Sydney:  Change and Education Research Group, University of Technology, Sydney, February, 2001. SEE ABSTRACT BELOW.

 

Cooper, I., Frommer, M., Gordon, S., Nicholas, J. (2001).  Memorising and Understanding in Learning — An Interdisciplinary Study.  Short communicationr presented at the 24th Annual Conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia, Sydney:  University of Sydney, July, 2001. SEE ABSTRACT BELOW.

 

Future Publications

Cooper, I., Frommer, M., Gordon, S., Nicholas, J. (In Press). University teachers conceptions of memorising in learning science.  Higher Education Research & Development, 21 (3).

 

Cooper, I., Frommer, M., Gordon, S., Nicholas, J. (2002).  A phenomenographic approach to investigating memorising in learning science.  Poster to be presented at the 10th Improving Student Learning Symposium Brussels, September, 2002.

 

 

Abstracts of conference papers presented in 2001:

 

Perspectives of university teachers on the role of memorising in learning science

Abstract

 

This paper discusses work in progress which investigates what a sample of university teachers in the Science Faculty perceive to be the role of memorising in their discipline and how they incorporate memorising in their teaching strategies and assessment. Research has shown that university teachers have a range of conceptions of science learning and teaching (Prosser, Trigwell & Taylor, 1994).  Memorising is a changing and dynamic part of the process of learning and understanding science, yet there is little research on this aspect of teacher knowledge and its relationship to students' understanding.

 

Sixteen, purposively selected university teachers were interviewed in depth by the relevant discipline member of the project team. The university teachers were from three disciplines within the Science Faculty - mathematics, physiology and physics. Our analysis of the data is being undertaken from a phenomenographic perspective (Marton, 1988). Phenomenography describes the qualitatively different ways people relate to phenomena - in this case how university teachers relate to memorising in their discipline. This relational view of learning is consistent with our theoretical perspective, which emphasises learning in context. Initial findings indicate a range of conceptions of memorising, including memorising as rote learning for reproduction, as a stepping stone to understanding, and as a way of internalising information and integrating it with existing knowledge. Our aim is to improve the match between teachers' expectations - that students will understand and students' perceptions - that examinations must be passed at all costs.

 

References

Marton, F. (1988).  Describing and improving learning.  In R. Schmeck (Ed.), Learning Strategies and Learning Styles (pp. 53-82).  New York:  Plenum Press.

Prosser, M., Trigwell, K. and Taylor, P. (1994).  A phenomenographic study of academics’ conceptions of science learning and teaching.  Learning and Instruction, 4, 217-231.

 

Memorising and Understanding in Learning — An Interdisciplinary Study.

Abstract

In this ongoing project we investigate what a sample of university teachers in mathematics, physiology and physics conceive to be the role of memorising in their disciplines and how they conceive of the relationship between memorising and understanding.  Sixteen university teachers were interviewed in depth.  Our analysis of the data is being undertaken from a phenomenographic perspective (Marton, 1988). Initial findings indicate a range of conceptions of memorising as well as the beginnings of a theoretical model for relating memorising and understanding in science.  Such a relationship can be characterised by a two dimensional model, static (memorising is independent of understanding) and dynamic (memorising and understanding operate in tandem).

 

Reference

Marton, F. (1988).  Describing and improving learning.  In R. Schmeck (Ed.), Learning Strategies and Learning Styles (pp. 53-82).  New York:  Plenum Press.