Abstract

CALIATTO, Susana G.; MENDES, Carmelinda T. A.  and  ALMEIDA, Leandro S.. Study methods in Higher Education: The construction and validating a questionnaire. Psic. da Ed. [online]. 2021, n.53, pp.109-117.  Epub June 24, 2022. ISSN 2175-3520.  https://doi.org/10.23925/2175-3520.2021i53p109-117.

Given the requirements of the teaching-learning process at the university, the literature highlights the importance of identifying dimensions that best describe study methods to explain students´ academic performance. This article presents the construction and preliminary studies of validation of a questionnaire assessing the study and learning methods of college students. Students were asked about their usual study behaviours, in and out of the classroom, especially those habits that best explain or predict their levels of academic performance. After a first systematization of the content of the students' answers in a questionnaire formed by 45 items, this was applied to a sample of 198 students in Brazil and 132 students in Portugal, covering different undergraduate courses in Sciences and Humanities domains. The data presented in this article refer to the Portuguese students characterized mainly by the female sex (81%), the first year (79%), with the most frequent age of 18 years (37.9%). The results of the exploratory factorial analysis allow to identify four dimensions: organization and planning of the study (alpha = .76); persistence in the tasks of study (alpha = .78); self-efficacy in the study (alpha = .65); and participation in the classroom (alpha = .64). These dimensions explicit study methods that combine cognitive, motivational and attitudinal aspects that sometimes appear differentiated in the investigation, being able the student to combine superficial and deep approaches when necessary for their study.

Keywords : Higher education; Study methods; Learning strategies; Academic achievement.

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