Through the Looking Glass: Students’ Learning Experiences

TILT Program: Teaching and Learning Development Grant (TLDG)

Principal Investigator: Ivona Mladenovic, senior lecturer, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science

Project Team: Bratislav Mladenovic, manager, Undergraduate Programs, Faculty of Health Science; Bronwen Pollock, research assistant

Timeframe: November 2019 - January 2023

TILT Support: $5,000

Courses addressed:

• PHYS 101 - Physics for the Life Sciences I
• CHEM 121 - General Chemistry and Laboratory I
• BISC 102 - General Biology
• HSCI 130 - Foundations of Health Science
• MATH 155 - Calculus II for the Biological Sciences

Final report: View Ivona Mladenovic's final report (PDF)

Description:

This project investigated the similarities and differences between students’ and instructors’ perspectives on their roles in effective learning. Project participants were drawn from five first-year courses offered at SFU in Spring 2020. A qualitative research approach was used, including faculty instructor interviews and student focus groups.  

The findings identify important commonalities and discrepancies between students’ and instructors’ understandings and interpretations of the learning process. Preliminary results indicate that both groups share common perceptions of their roles in achieving effective and meaningful learning experiences, including lecture attendance, peer collaboration, engagement with office hours and supportive learning environments.

However, the main differences related to how the identified roles are understood and interpreted. Instructors expect more proactive engagement, including pre-class preparation and active participation during class, whereas students tend to define their commitment in terms of time and effort, with much of their learning occurring after class and around assessments. Differences also emerge in learning practices and expectations. Instructors emphasize reading as central to success, while students rely more on lectures notes and alternative resources. Many students report challenges with self-directed learning and time management, particularly in balancing academic and personal commitments, whereas instructors generally expect students to manage these demands independently.

Additional findings highlight factors that influence learning, including class size and layout, the use of lecture slides, collaboration among instructors, and the impact of online or hybrid formats on classroom community.

Questions addressed:

• In what ways are students responsible for their learning process?  
• In what ways are instructors responsible for students’ learning process?
• How similar or different are students’ and instructors’ perspectives about the responsibility for the learning process?
• What recommendations can we make to students and instructors about improving student learning processes in these courses? How can instructors best help these first-year students learn, during this time of transition?

Knowledge sharing: Planned sharing of project findings includes conferences, meetings, and workshops, along with the preparation of a manuscript for publication. 

Keywords: Learning, strategic and self-directed learning, peer learning, teaching, student experience, student motivation