Several fellow professors and I became interested in doing research on the learning characteristics of Eckerd College's business students. Since we have a large number of adult learners, we were particularly interested in examining whether there were any learning differences between our adult (over 25 years of age) students and our "traditional" students.
We began by researching literature and examining various learning instruments to see which one best met our needs. First, we needed an instrument that had acceptable psychometric characteristics so we could have confidence in our data. Also, we wanted a measurement tool that had practical application to educators. In addition, we were looking for an instrument that was relatively easy for the students to complete and score. On the last point, we were particularly interested in finding a self-scoring instrument so the students could get immediate feedback from the measuring device. Finally, since budget constraints are always an issue, we needed an instrument that delivered good value for the money we invested.
After several months of research, we agreed that LASSI best met our needs. After more than a year of using LASSI in our classrooms and our research projects, we are very pleased with our choice of instruments. Since building a database of LASSI responses from our business students, we have produced a variety of studies. For example, we compared our adult vs. traditional student, American vs. foreign, male vs. female, and our students vs. those in other disciplines at other institutions. We have had an excellent response to our research when we presented our findings at the American Marketing Associations Educators' Conference in Hilton Head, South Carolina, the Society of Travel and Tourism Educators' Conference in Denver, Colorado, and the International Association of Management Conference in Toronto, Canada.
Frankly, initially we were more interested in using LASSI as a research tool to help us publish academic papers and articles than we were in using it as a learning intervention device. But we soon discovered that LASSI is such a powerful diagnostic tool, that students were asking us what they could do to strengthen various learning areas. Fortunately, we had help in giving our students advice and direction. In a book called Studying in the Content Areas (H&H Publishing), Carole Bogue assesses each of the learning characteristics of LASSI and gives some very practical recommendations as to what students and instructors can do to convert a learning problem into a learning opportunity. Although we are delighted with the research we have been able to do with LASSI, it turns out that we have gotten even more satisfaction from the contributions we have been able to make to our individual students as educators.
LASSI has met and exceeded our goals and expectations. What is more, we are excited about the prospects for additional research and intervention. LASSI works!
There has been a recent surge of interest in the area of constructivist learning environments. Contructivism refers to the learning theory in which knowledge does not exist as a separate entity to be simply absorbed as a whole, but rather is constructed by the learner based on his or her interactions with the world. These environments are characterized by contextually anchored problem-solving, reflective experience, collaboration with peers, and validity of multiple perspectives.
The LASSI instrument has been validated in traditional educational settings (lecture-based college and high school courses). It's related research indicates clear correlation between learning skills aptitudes and performance in traditional educational settings. The present focus of this investigation is to examine whether these same learning skills have equal relevance to constructive learning environments.
This study examines the performance of 80 high school freshmen in a fully constructive (experiential, context-based problem-solving, collaborative, integrated) mathematics curriculum. It seeks to determine if any relationship exists between the learning skills/strategies these students possess and their corresponding performance in such a curriculum.
Specifically, I will be administering LASSI to these students and comparing their results in each of the ten LASSI aptitudes with their GPA's in the math program. Based on a study group of 80 participants, ten correlational coefficients will be computed, one for each LASSI aptitude.
I work at the Strategic Alternative Learning Techniques Center for Learning Disabilities (SALT) at the University of Arizona. Part of my responsibilities involves teaching a Learning Strategies course to students with learning disabilities. For three years I have incorporated the LASSI as one of the tools used in class. Students complete one at the beginning of the semester and reflect on the results in their journal. This helps not only to identify their learning strategy awareness but also their strengths and weaknesses. The LASSI helps to reveal any potential trends. This process helps me work with students individually and collectively. At the end of the semester students complete another LASSI as well as writing a reflective journal entry with encouragement to compare their current and previous results. The purpose is to assess their areas of growth. In general, students seem to find this process helpful. Prior to examining their results, the students are made aware that the LASSI is not normed for students with learning disabilities. Therefore when measuring their results I explain this and my observations from previous semesters. Frequently at the beginning of the semester, the students with whom I work with fall slightly below the average range. After a semester in a learning strategies course, students scores improve.
The LASSI helped students see their progress. I find the LASSI to be a useful instrument to assess this growth for the students I work with.
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