This paper presents an analysis of the transcripts of interviews with 77 first and second year child care students for conceptions of learning. All six categories of conceptions as identified originally by Marton, Dall’Alba and Beaty (1993) were found, but in a procedural  mode, and about 50% of these were at level A (increasing knowledge, getting information). This category was richer and more differentiated than has been found previously and had a very practical, applied focus. The participants did not generally situate learning in a formal context based on reading theoretical material but rather on learning by observing and doing. The results are compared with similar responses for informal and workplace learning. The students’ conceptions could present challenges for lecturers who expect that they will underpin skills with theoretical knowledge and this has implications for students’ practice. It raises the question of how to move students’ conceptions to a higher more theoretical level.

Aims

A great deal of research has been undertaken from a phenomenographical perspective on students’ and teachers’ conceptions of formal learning, mainly in schools and universities (Boulton-Lewis, 2004). Phenomenography is a qualitative methodology that is empirically based and aims to identify the different ways (or variations in the ways) in which people experience, conceptualise, perceive or understand various phenomena (Marton, 1988).  There is very little research of conceptions of learning in vocational courses although findings for informal and workplace learning are relevant. The aim of this paper is to describe and discuss the analysis of interviews with students training to be child care workers to determine their conceptions of their own learning. Other analyses of the data are being undertaken from other theoretical perspectives.

Methodology

The sample consisted of 46 first and 31 second year students (77 in total of which 71 were female) in a Diploma course for child care workers in 3 TAFE colleges in Queensland. The students had diverse linguistic backgrounds and learning styles, and a range of previous study and work experiences. Their ages ranged from 17 to 52 years (mean = 24 years). There were no Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander students. A large majority had completed Secondary school to Year 12 (88%) and 46 had post secondary school qualifications. The data formed part of a larger study employing interviews, epistemological and learning style questionnaires, and video observations to determine the relationship between epistemology and child care practices.

Students were interviewed individually using a semi-structured procedure for about 45 minutes to explore their beliefs and their conceptions of their own and children’s learning. Specifically with regard to their own learning they were asked to discuss such questions as: How do you go about learning? How do you know you have learnt something? Can you tell me what you think learning is? The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed phenomenographically by all three researchers to determine categories of conceptions of learning.

Findings

Six conceptions of learning were identified which could be categorised at the same levels as those described by Boulton-Lewis, Marton, Lewis and Wilss (2004). There was however a major difference between the conceptions held by these students and the earlier categories of conceptions in that these were all at a concrete, experiential, procedural level and not apparently concerned with formal theoretical leaning. This is probably a reflection of the students’ perception of their course and their future role in the workplace. It may also have been influenced by the earlier discussion of how children learn. More than half (45/76) of the students had Level A conceptions of learning only (that is as increasing knowledge, gaining information and other variations). The rest of the students could be classified according to their highest conception of learning as follows: Level B (memorising and reproducing) 11; Level C (applying knowledge) 14; Level D (understanding) 5; Level E (seeing something in a different way) 1; Level F (changing as a person) 1. There was unusually rich variation in the structural aspects of the Level A conceptions. It included increasing information or getting knowledge and storing it; memorising information; making sense of something; being given information; seeing or experiencing something; learning as a process; and becoming familiar with something.

Theoretical and educational significance

The results are similar to research that described lower level atheoretical  conceptions of learning in the workplace; that is acquiring skills to survive, and onsite observing and experiencing (Pillay, Boulton-Lewis, Wilss & Lankshear, 2003); learning through doing work, co-operation, and interaction with colleagues (Collin 2002); and descriptions of teacher’s workplace learning as informal and collaborative (Williams, 2003). The focus of the conceptions was almost wholly on procedural  aspects of learning (that is seeing and doing things) which were not informed by acquisition and understanding of theoretical knowledge. We believe that the conceptions we have identified present a problem for lecturers who expect that students will underpin skills with theoretical knowledge. This raises the question of how to move students’ conceptions to higher more theoretical levels.  It also presents problems for students in terms of innovative behaviour and transfer of knowledge to other contexts which, it is assumed, needs to be supported by theoretical knowledge. Hodkinson and Hodkinson (2005) proposed that schoolteachers’ workplace learning can be improved by more expansive learning environments in which there is engagement with the process of planning their own learning. Perhaps lecturers in the child care program should consider further ways of encouraging students to explain the procedures they are learning in relation to theoretical knowledge. This could possibly be affected by further changes in assessment to place more emphasis on explanation of theoretical underpinnings of skills and procedures (cf. Biggs, 1996). These students need to be encouraged to identify and learn not only what is seen to work but the reasons why it should work.

Selected references

Boulton-Lewis, G.M. (2004). Conceptions of teaching and learning at school and university: Similarities, differences, relationships and contextual factors, European Journal of School Psychology, 21(1-2), 19-38.

Boulton-Lewis, G.M., Marton, F., Lewis, D., & Wilss, L.A. (2004).  A longitudinal study of learning for a group of Indigenous Australian university students:  dissonant conceptions and strategies. Higher Education, 47, 91-112.

Collin, K. (2002). Development engineers’ conceptions of learning at work. Studies in Continuing Education, 24, 133-152.

Marton, F. (1988). Phenomenography: Exploring different conceptions of reality. New York: Praeger.

Marton, F., Dall’Alba, G., & Beaty, E. (1993). Conceptions of learning. International Journal of Educational Research, 19, 277-300.

Pillay, H., Boulton-Lewis, G., Wilss, L. & Lankshear, C. (2003). Conceptions of work and learning at work: Impressions from older workers. Studies in Continuing Education, 25 (1), 96- 111.