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Tertiary students' locus of control and approaches to studying
Author(s)
Rossouw, Pieter le Roux
Date Issued
1996
Type
Thesis
Publisher
Cape Technikon
Abstract
Students today fuce increasing demands and challenges. This has important implications for
education and its relevance in a rapidly changing world.
It is against this background that the problem ofsuccess or failure at tertiary level, especially in the
first year of study, is particularly significant as is evident from increased interest in and research
undertaken into the factors and determinants involved in success or failure. Two variables that
have received considerable attention in recent studies are (1) approaches to studying and (2) locus
of control. They have been investigated both as independent factors and as part of a cluster of
factors, but the relationship between these two variables has not yet been explored within the
technikon context.
In terms of students' approaches to studying there are two important schools of thought. One
model (Entwistle & Ramsden, 1983) focuses on qualitative differences between the different
categories ofapproaches to studying. In terms ofthis model students are classified as either using a
reproducing/surface, a meaningldeep or an achieving/strategic approach.
The 'Qualitative Individual Differences' model (Meyer, Parsons & Dunne, 1990a; 1990b),
emphasises the qualitative individual differences in terms ofstudents' approaches to studying. This
model defines the concept ofstudy orchestration as the contextualised study approach individual or
groups of students adopt. The term orchestration captures the unique nature of individual approaches to studying viewed as a qualitative responsive approach to a qualitatively perceived
educational context.
The first model therefore views approaches to studying mainly from the point ofview of categorical
differences, whereas the second focuses on qualitative individual (across and within categories)
differences. In this study students' approaches to studying were measured by the Extended
Approaches to Studying Inventory (EASI), a variation on the original Approaches to Studying
Inventory (ASI) developed by Entwistle & Ramsden (1983)
education and its relevance in a rapidly changing world.
It is against this background that the problem ofsuccess or failure at tertiary level, especially in the
first year of study, is particularly significant as is evident from increased interest in and research
undertaken into the factors and determinants involved in success or failure. Two variables that
have received considerable attention in recent studies are (1) approaches to studying and (2) locus
of control. They have been investigated both as independent factors and as part of a cluster of
factors, but the relationship between these two variables has not yet been explored within the
technikon context.
In terms of students' approaches to studying there are two important schools of thought. One
model (Entwistle & Ramsden, 1983) focuses on qualitative differences between the different
categories ofapproaches to studying. In terms ofthis model students are classified as either using a
reproducing/surface, a meaningldeep or an achieving/strategic approach.
The 'Qualitative Individual Differences' model (Meyer, Parsons & Dunne, 1990a; 1990b),
emphasises the qualitative individual differences in terms ofstudents' approaches to studying. This
model defines the concept ofstudy orchestration as the contextualised study approach individual or
groups of students adopt. The term orchestration captures the unique nature of individual approaches to studying viewed as a qualitative responsive approach to a qualitatively perceived
educational context.
The first model therefore views approaches to studying mainly from the point ofview of categorical
differences, whereas the second focuses on qualitative individual (across and within categories)
differences. In this study students' approaches to studying were measured by the Extended
Approaches to Studying Inventory (EASI), a variation on the original Approaches to Studying
Inventory (ASI) developed by Entwistle & Ramsden (1983)
Additional information
Thesis (MTech(Education in the School ofTeachers Education)) --Cape Technikon, Cape Town, 1996
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