Abstract:

The paper takes as its point of departure a web-based study that includes 281 Norwegian students who take the practical-pedagogical education (PPU) which is comparable to the British Postgraduate Certificate in Eduaction (PGCE). Of these are respectively 127 women and 154 men. Our assumption is that successful learning behavior depends on good learning and working habits. Postponement behavior is in many ways the opposite of this, and will therefore be a good measure of how students work with their studies. Our findings indicate that many students struggle with inappropriate learning and working habits.

Three out of ten students (33 percent) report that they often delay studying until the last minute. Half of the students (49 percent) often postpone reading curriculum literature, and only three out of ten (29 percent) read curriculum literature regularly. Half of the students (50 percent) have a bad conscience when they procrastinate study work they know they must do, and seven out of ten (70 percent) say that this stresses them.

Male students struggle significantly more with their habits than their female fellow students, and men with a bachelor degree struggle more than men with a higher degree. In this paper we discuss possible reasons for inappropriate learning behavior, while considering possible measures that can be taken to help students improve their study habits.

Keywords:

Students, learning habits, postponement behavior