A learning philosophy assignment positively impacts student learning outcomes

Abstract

Engaging students in metacognition can improve their learning outcomes. Students’ consideration of their learning philosophy is one way for students to be metacognitive about their learning. This study analyzed the effect of a learning philosophy assignment on students’ intellectual development and mastery of first-year biology and second-year biochemistry course content. All students were invited to complete the Learning Environment Preferences (LEP) survey at the beginning and end of the term to determine if students’ cognitive complexity was impacted by the assignment. The ability to master course content was assessed by comparing students’ midterm and final exam marks. We found that the learning philosophy assignment rescued Bachelor of Science students in the first-year biology course from a decrease in cognitive complexity. Additionally, the guided metacognition rescued second-year biochemistry students from performing poorer on the final relative to the midterm exam and promoted an increase in their cognitive complexity. These results suggest that a learning philosophy assignment may be an effective way of engaging students’ in metacognition of their learning to promote their intellectual development and mastery of course material.