Abstract:

Educational psychology has been traditionally little present at university levels. It is usually assumed that a university student already masters the same type of learning skills expected in higher education. Many university student failures could be related to these assumptions. New information technologies and globalizing trends are contributing to bring these problems to surface. Responding to these challenges and opportunities such as the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), and in order to analyze the impact and potentials of new technologies in learning habits, and to test new innovation actions within EHEA goals, we conducted a series of studies on educational psychology at IE University (Segovia, Spain), with a main hypothesis stating learning diversity as main significant predictor of differences in academic performance.

16 professors and 9 student groups participated in the study. A participatory teaching-research methodology was used, integrated in an academic management approach centred on a personalized university-student relationship process, with actions such a university quality evaluation system study, group analyses of educational methods, the design of a Tutoring Interview Questionnaire, and programs on learning strategies, social skills, self-knowledge and personal development, and career education. Quantitative (questionnaires), qualitative (individual and group interviews) and participatory (group dynamics) data was gathered of features such as learning strategies, habits, and background, learning cognitive, affective, and motivational styles, vocational decision skills, social resources, group learning processes, and knowledge organization techniques.

General results support the main hypothesis, finding a large variability in learning features which affect academic performance, with most important differences in student knowledge of their learning skills and strategies and their importance for academic performance, and in learning motivational attributions and expectations, with more than half of the students with extrinsic styles. These styles seem reinforced by a “knowledge mirage” trend identifying information in Internet with knowledge “always available”, discouraging learning efforts. On the other side, new technologies appear as a positive influence to students using more active, self-reinforcing strategies, critical thinking tools, and different knowledge sources. Lower academic achievement appeared related to higher passive, extrinsic styles, but depending on teaching and evaluation methods. Risks of gaps between grades and learning achievement were detected when internet misuses were not discouraged enough by the teacher.

Results of innovative actions centred on learning diversity on general achievement were positive. Student awareness on their learning habits and potentials allowed a better learning environment and performance. The management approach suggested the importance of conducting early evaluation of students´ current and potential learning skills to be assigned to different programs on learning strategies, critical and creative thinking, and knowledge management, according to their levels. Training on self-knowledge, personal development, career education, and social competences should be also diversity-adapted. A variety of teaching methods available to each student’s qualities appears basic, including the application of new technologies to make diversity adaptation more possible.

Keywords:

European-Higher-Education-Area, Educational-Psychology, Learning-Diversity, Innovation-in-Education, Knowledge-technologies.