Deep, Surface, or Both? A Study of Occupational Therapy Students' Learning Concepts.
Tore Bonsaksen
PMID 30158842WHAT IT FOUND
Occupational therapy students' deep and surface learning views were similar, not opposite.
Most links did not remain clear when other factors were considered, although more independent study time was linked to stronger agreement across learning statements.
Key findings
01Mean scores for deep and surface learning concepts were both 12.8.
02The deep and surface learning concept scores were positively associated.
03After other variables were considered, more time spent on independent study was associated with higher scores on the combined learning concept measure, although the overall model was not statistically significant.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Only 149 students were analysed, and they came from one Norwegian occupational therapy program, so results may not apply to other students. The study used a cross-sectional design, so it cannot show whether more independent study time caused a broader learning view or the reverse. The researchers performed many statistical tests, which increases the chance of false positive findings. All information came from self-report questionnaires, and questionnaire answers may not match how students describe their own learning. The collected efforts, deep, and surface learning concept scales had internal consistency values of 0.70, 0.61, and 0.61. The adjusted models explained only 13.7%, 6.0%, and 10.0% of the variance, so the measured factors did not capture most differences.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that more independent study time causes stronger agreement across learning statements. The study was cross-sectional, and the combined learning model was not statistically significant, although more study time remained associated with higher scores.