Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-fbnjt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-13T01:10:14.311Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Relationship Between Academic Trait Boredom, Learning Approach and University Achievement

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 October 2019

Brian Hemmings ,
Russell Kay  and
John G. Sharp
Brian Hemmings*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Education, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
Russell Kay
Affiliation:
Faculty of Education, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
John G. Sharp
Affiliation:
Lincoln Higher Education Research Institute, University of Lincoln, United Kingdom
*
Author for correspondence: Brian Hemmings, Email: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

This study explored factors that influence academic achievement and hence, future career prospects. The relationships between the factors, academic trait boredom, approach to learning and academic achievement were examined using data collected from university students at a small English university and from their student records. The initial statistical analysis revealed significant effects of gender on learning approach and two of the three academic trait boredom subscales. Female students proved to be less prone to academic trait boredom than their male counterparts. A model was then developed that showed how a student’s choice of learning approach was influenced by academic trait boredom and impinged on academic achievement. This modelling also confirmed that students who are more prone to academic trait boredom are also more likely to adopt a surface approach to learning rather than a deep or strategic one. The results of this investigation have implications for students, lecturers, course designers and learning support staff both here in this one location as well as elsewhere across the higher education sector.

Keywords

trait boredomlearning approachachievementhigher education
Type
Articles
Information
The Educational and Developmental Psychologist , Volume 36 , Issue 2 , December 2019 , pp. 41 - 50
Copyright
© Australian Psychological Society Ltd 2019 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abedin, N.F.Z., Jaafar, Z., Husain, S., & Abdullah, R. (2013). The validity of ASSIST as a measure of learning approach among MDAB students. Procedia: Social and Behavioral Sciences, 90, 549–557.Google Scholar
Acee, T.W., Kim, H., Chu, H.R., Kim, M., Cho, Y., & Wicker, F.W. (2010). Academic boredom in under-and over-challenging situations. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 35, 17–27.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Augar, P. (2019). Independent panel report to the post-18 review of education and funding (the Augar Review). London: Her Majesty’s Stationary Office.Google Scholar
Belton, T., & Priyadharshini, E. (2007). Boredom and schooling: A cross-disciplinary exploration. Cambridge Journal of Education, 37, 579–595.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Biggs, J.B. (1987). Student approaches to learning and studying. Melbourne, Australia: Australian Council for Educational Research. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED308201.pdf Google Scholar
Boekaerts, M., & Pekrun, R. (2015). Emotions and emotion regulation in academic settings. In Corno, L. & Anderman, E.M. (Eds), Handbook of educational psychology (3rd ed, pp. 76–90). London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Brantley, P.J., & Sutker, P.B. (1984). Antisocial behavior disorders. In Adams, H.E. & Sutker, P.B (Eds.), Comprehensive handbook of psychopathology (pp. 439–478). New York, NY: Plenum Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brennan, A.F., Walfish, S., & Aubuchan, P. (1986). Alcohol use and abuse in college students. I. A review of individual and personality correlates. International Journal of the Addictions, 21, 449–474.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brown, R., & Carasso, H. (2013). Everything for sale? The marketization of UK higher education. London: Routledge.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bryan, N., & Williams, T.M. (2017). We need more than just male bodies in classrooms: Recruiting and retaining culturally relevant Black male teachers in early childhood education. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, 38, 209–222.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Byrne, B.M. (2001). Structural equation modeling with AMOS: Basic concepts, application, and programming. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Google Scholar
Centre for Research on Learning and Instruction. (2006). Approaches and Study Skills Inventory (ASSIST) manual. Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh.Google Scholar
Chamorro-Premuzic, T., & Furnham, A. (2008). Personality, intelligence and approaches to learning as predictors of academic performance. Personality and Individual Differences, 44, 1596–1603.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Constantini, P., & Vitale, M.P. (2011). Analyzing undergraduate student graduation delay: A longitudinal perspective. In Attanasio, M. & Capursi, V. (Eds.), Statistical methods for the evaluation of university systems (pp. 145–160). Berlin: Springer.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Curtis, S., & Shani, N. (2002). The effect of taking paid employment during term-time on students’ academic studies. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 26, 129–138.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
DeNavas-Walt, C., Proctor, B.D., & Smith, J.C. (2013). Income, poverty, and health insurance coverage in the United States: 2012. Current population reports, consumer income, P60–245. Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau.Google Scholar
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (2010). Securing a sustainable future for higher education: An independent review of higher education funding and student finance (the Browne Review). London: HMSO. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-browne-report-higher-education-funding-and-student-finance Google Scholar
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (2011). Higher education: Students at the heart of the system. London: HMSO. http://www.educationengland.org.uk/documents/pdfs/2011-white-paper-higher-ed.pdf Google Scholar
Diseth, Å. (2007). Approaches to learning, course experience and examination grade among undergraduate psychology students: Testing of mediator effects and construct validity. Studies in Higher Education, 32, 373–388.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dobson, I.R., & Sharma, R. (1999). Student performance and the cost of failure. Tertiary Education and Management, 5, 139–155.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duff, A., Boyle, E., Dunleavy, K., & Ferguson, J. (2004). The relationship between personality, approach to learning and academic performance. Personality and Individual Differences, 36, 1907–1920.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Entwistle, N., Hanley, M., & Hounsell, D. (1979). Identifying distinctive approaches to studying. Higher Education, 8, 365–380.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fahlman, S.A., Mercer-Lynn, K.B., Flora, D.B., & Eastwood, J.D. (2013). Development and validation of the multidimensional state boredom scale. Assessment, 20, 68–85.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Farmer, R., & Sundberg, N.D. (1986). Boredom proneness: The development and correlates of a new scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 50, 4–17.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fisher, C.D. (1993). Boredom at work: A neglected concept. Human Relations, 46, 395–418.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goetz, T., Frenzel, A.C., Stoeger, H., & Hall, N.C. (2010). Antecedents of everyday positive emotions: An experience sampling analysis. Motivation and Emotion, 34, 49–62.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hair, J.F., Black, W.C., Babin, B.J., & Anderson, R.E. (2010). Multivariate data analysis: A global perspective (7th ed.). London: Pearson.Google Scholar
Jaradat, A-K. (2015). Differences in boredom proneness according to gender and academic achievement. Indian Journal of Health and Wellbeing, 6, 982–985.Google Scholar
Jose, P.E. (2013). Doing statistical mediation and moderation. New York, NY: Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Kreber, C. (2003). The relationship between students’ course perception and their approaches to studying in undergraduate science courses: A Canadian experience. Higher Education Research & Development, 22, 57–75.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lizzio, A., Wilson, K., & Simons, R. (2002). University students’ perceptions of the learning environment and academic outcomes: Implications for theory and practice. Studies in Higher Education, 27, 27–51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mann, S., & Robinson, A. (2009). Boredom in the lecture theatre: An investigation into the contributors, moderators and outcomes of boredom amongst university students. British Educational Research Journal, 35, 243–258.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marton, F., & Säljö, R. (1976). On qualitative differences in learning: I – outcome and process. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 46, 4–11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mauss, I.B., & Robinson, M.D. (2009). Measures of emotion: A review. Cognition and Emotion, 23, 209–237.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McGettican, A. (2013). The great university gamble: Money, markets and the future of higher education. London: Pluto Press.Google Scholar
McLaughlin, J., & Durrant, P. (2017). Student learning approaches in the UAE: The case for the achieving domain. Higher Education Research & Development, 36, 158–170.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mercer-Lynn, K.B., Flora, D.B., Fahlman, S.A., & Eastwood, J.D. (2013). The measurement of boredom: Differences between existing self-report scales. Assessment, 20, 585–596.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Moroldo, G.K. (1986). Shyness, boredom and grade point average among college students. Psychological Reports, 59, 395–398.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Office for National Statistics. (2011). Graduates earn 12,000 a year more than non-graduates (Press release). Newport, UK: Author. http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160106230214/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171776_233872.pdf Google Scholar
Pekrun, R. (2000). A social-cognitive, control value theory of achievement emotions. In Heckhausen, J. (Ed.), Motivational psychology of human development (pp. 143–163). Oxford: Elsevier Science.Google Scholar
Pekrun, R. (2006). The control-value theory of academic emotions: Assumptions, corollaries and implications for educational practice. Educational Psychology Review, 18, 315–341.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pekrun, R., Goetz, T., Daniels, L.M., Stupinsky, R.H., & Perry, R.P. (2010). Boredom in achievement settings: Exploring control-value antecedents and performance outcomes of a neglected emotion. Journal of Educational Psychology, 102, 531–549.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pekrun, R., Goetz, T., Titz, W., & Perry, R.P. (2002). Academic emotions in students’ self-regulated learning and achievement: A programme of quantitative and qualitative research. Educational Psychologist, 37, 91–105.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pekrun, R., Hall, N.C., Goetz, T., & Perry, R.P. (2014). Boredom and academic achievement: Testing a model of reciprocal causation. Journal of Educational Psychology, 106, 696–710.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Perkins, R.E., & Hill, A.B. (1985). Cognitive and affective aspects of boredom. British Journal of Psychology, 76, 221–234.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pew Research Center (2010). Millennials: Confident. connected. open to change. Washington, DC: Author.Google Scholar
Phan, H.P., & Deo, B. (2008). ‘Revisiting’ the South Pacific approaches to learning: A confirmatory factor analysis study. Higher Education Research & Development, 27, 371–383.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Plant, E.A., Ericsson, K.A., Hill, L., & Asberg, K. (2005). Why study time does not predict grade point average across college students: Implications of deliberate practice for academic performance. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 30(6), 96–116.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Raisman, N. (2013). The cost of college attrition at four-year colleges and universities: An analysis of 1669 US institutions. Virginia Beach, VA: The Educational Policy Institute. Retrieved from http://www.educationalpolicy.org/pdf/1302_PolicyPerspectives.pdf Google Scholar
Ramsden, P. (1992). Learning to teach in higher education. London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Richardson, M., Abraham, C., & Bond, R. (2012). Psychological correlates of university students’ academic performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 138, 353–387.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rytkönen, H., Parpala, A., Lindblom-Ylänne, S., Virtanen, V., & Postareff, L. (2012). Factors affecting bioscience students’ academic achievement. Instructional Science, 40, 241–256.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sharp, J.G., Hemmings, B., & Kay, R. (2016). Towards a model for the assessment of student boredom and boredom proneness in the UK higher education context. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 40, 649–681.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sharp, J.G., Hemmings, B., Kay, R., & Atkin, C. (2018). Academic boredom, approaches to learning and the final-year degree outcomes of undergraduate students. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 42, 1055–1077.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sharp, J.G., Sharp, J.C., & Young, E. (2018) Academic boredom, engagement and the achievement of undergraduate students at university: A review and synthesis of relevant literature. Research Papers in Education. doi: 10.1080/02671522.2018.1536891 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Skues, J., Williams, B., Oldmeadow, J., & Wise, L. (2016). The effects of boredom, loneliness, and distress tolerance on problem internet use among university students. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 14, 167–180.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Snelgrove, S., & Slater, J. (2003). Approaches to learning: Psychometric testing of a study process questionnaire. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 43, 496–505.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sundberg, N.D., Latkin, C.A., Farmer, R.F., & Saoud, J. (1991). Boredom in young adults: Gender and cultural comparisons. Journal of Cross-cultural Psychology, 22, 209–223.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Teixeira, C., Gomes, D. & Borges, J. (2013). The approaches to studying of Portuguese students of introductory accounting. Accounting Education: An International Journal, 22, 193–210.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Touron, J. (1983). The determination of factors related to academic achievement in the university: Implications for the selection and counselling of students. Higher Education, 12, 251–266.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Trigwell, K., Ellis, R., & Han, F. (2012). Relations between students’ approaches to learning, experienced emotions and outcomes of learning. Studies in Higher Education, 37, 811–824.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Trusty, J., Robinson, C.R., Plata, M., & Kok-Mun, N. (2000). Effects of gender, socioeconomic status, and early academic performance on postsecondary educational choice. Journal of Counseling and Development, 78, 463–472.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tze, V.M.C., Daniels, L.M., & Klassen, R.M. (2016). Evaluating the relationship between boredom and academic outcomes: A meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 28, 119–144.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tze, V.M.C, Klassen, L.M., & Daniels, L.M. (2014). Patterns of boredom and its relationship with perceived autonomy support and engagement. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 39, 175–187.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tze, V.M.C., Klassen, R.M., Daniels, L.M., & Li, J.C.-H. (2013) Canadian and Chinese university students’ approaches to coping with academic boredom. Learning and Individual Differences, 23, 32–43.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vodanovich, S.J. (2003). Psychometric measures of boredom: A review of literature. The Journal of Psychology, 137, 569–595.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vodanovich, S.J., & Kass, S.J. (1990). Age and gender differences in boredom proneness. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 5, 297–307.Google Scholar
Vodanovich, S.J., & Watt, J.D. (2016). Self-report measures of boredom: An updated review of the literature. The Journal of Psychology, 150, 196–228.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vodanovich, S.J., Kass, S.J., Andrasik, F., Gerber, W-D., Niederberger, U., & Breaux, C. (2011). Culture and gender differences in boredom proneness. North American Journal of Psychology, 13, 221–230.Google Scholar
Wallace, J.C., Vodanovich, S.J., & Restino, B. (2003). Predicting cognitive failures from boredom proneness and daytime sleepiness scores: An investigation with military and undergraduate samples. Personality and Individual Differences, 34, 635–644.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Watt, J.D., & Blanchard, M.J. (1994). Boredom proneness and the need for cognition. Journal of Research in Personality, 28, 44–51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Watt, J.D., & Vodanovich, S.J. (1999). Boredom proneness and psychosocial development. Journal of Psychology, 133, 303–314.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Welker, A.L., Nazar, K.L., & Bonfati, P. (2015, June). Recruiting and retaining women engineers: An analysis of a successful college program. Paper presented at the 122nd ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition. Seattle, WA. https://peer.asee.org/recruiting-and-retaining-women-engineers-an-analysis-of-a-successful-college-program Google Scholar
Wilson, K.L., Smart, R.S., & Watson, R.J. (1996). Gender differences in approaches to learning in first year psychology students. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 66, 59–71.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Woehr, D.J., & Cavell, T.A. (1993). Self-report measures of ability, effort, and non-academic activity as predictors of introductory psychology test scores. Teaching of Psychology, 20, 156–160.CrossRefGoogle Scholar