There is little systematic evidence on the experience of disabled students in higher education. In this study, equal numbers of disabled and nondisabled students taking courses with the UK Open University were surveyed with regard to their approaches to studying and perceptions of the academic quality of their courses. Students with dyslexia or…

This study investigated the role of disablement as a predictor of academic attainment among students awarded first degrees by UK institutions of higher education in 2004-05. Disability explained only 0.1% of the variation in attainment, as measured by whether the graduates had obtained good degrees (i.e. with first-class or upper second-class…

Recent studies have suggested that academic attainment by ethnic minority graduates at UK institutions of higher education is lower than that by White graduates. This was confirmed using a database of all UK-domiciled graduates from UK higher education institutions in 2004-05. The trend was greater in older students than in younger students, in…

The experiences of students taking the same course by distance learning were compared when tutorial support was provided conventionally (using limited face-to-face sessions with some contact by telephone and email) or online (using a combination of computer-mediated conferencing and email). Study 1 was a quantitative survey using an adapted…

A pilot study investigated the feasibility of a survey of students completing undergraduate programmes in the UK regarding their experiences of learning and teaching. A questionnaire containing 45 items in six scales was distributed to 44,209 students from 22 institutions. It was returned by 17,173 students, and analysis of their responses broadly…

Investigated predictors of attainment in British students awarded first degrees. Those aged under 21 or between 26 and 50 at graduation were more likely to obtain good degrees (with first-class or upper second-class honors), but the pattern of age-related variation was different across different subjects of study. Overall, women were more likely…

Analyzed British data to compare students with hearing loss and students with no disablement on demographic characteristics, programs of study, and academic attainment. Representation of students with hearing loss was markedly lower than in the general population, and was inversely related to the level of study. Hearing loss per se appeared to…

Analyzed the representation and attainment of students with a hearing loss at Britain's Open University, a distance education institution. Found that they were older, more likely to be female, and had enrolled with a lower level of prior education than other students. Also differed in course load, but not in academic outcome when demography or…

Available research evidence indicates that the process of menstruation has no effect on academic performance as measured by quantitative tests, and that subjective complaints of paramenstrual dysfunction originate in socially mediated beliefs rather than any objective impairment. The consequences for higher education institutions and student…

Approaches to studying were measured in male and female students taking arts and sciences degrees at three British colleges. Students taking science courses had greater reproduction orientation than those in arts courses. Females had greater meaning orientation in arts courses taken in a "female" learning environment, and when taking science…

Comparison of the study skills of 38 adult and 60 traditional-age college students in the same course found that older students had significantly higher scores on meaning orientation and lower scores on reproducing orientation and had persistence and educational attainment at least as high as that of traditional-age students. (Author/MSE)

The Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI) measures orientations to learning in higher education. Two studies used different forms of the ASI to investigate possible gender variation in approaches to studying. No consistent evidence of significant difference between men and women on individual items, subscales, or learning orientations was found.…

A shortened form of the Approaches to Studying Questionnaire (ASQ) was devised to measure individual college student differences in the domains of either meaning orientation or reproducing orientation. It achieves satisfactory levels of internal consistency and test-retest reliability (Author/MLW)

Research suggests mature college students use more desirable approaches to academic learning, adopting a deep approach (meaning orientation) more often and a surface approach less often than younger students. Explanations include motivation by intrinsic goals; acquisition of a surface approach by younger students in secondary education; and…