gms | German Medical Science

Background: The term “study orchestration” was introduced into the discussion on learning strategies to describe the individual study approaches students choose in response to their specific learning environment. As in music where the interaction of many instruments determine whether the sound is perceived as consonant or dissonant it’s the congruence of different learning strategies with other individual aspects (e.g. motivation, epistemological beliefs, professional goals) that is crucial for successful studying. This research deals with how learner characteristics influence academic success in medical education.

Methods: Medical students (N ≈ 230) completed a questionnaire for learning strategies (LIST based on the MSLQ by Pintrich & Garcia) together with instruments to capture study motivation, epistemological beliefs, professional and personal goals and other relevant aspects at two occasions during their first year of study. To detect study orchestrations cluster analyses were conducted.

Summary of results: A five cluster solution was most appropriate for statistical and conceptual reasons. Two clusters could be assigned to surface-level and deep-level learning respectively. Further characteristic differences were found in motivation, epistemological beliefs and other variables. One cluster (N ≈ 31) might represents a “dissonant” orchestration as students appear less directed in their learning, less motivated and more uncertain than their peers.

Conclusions: In terms of supporting students to adopt effective learning approaches these results are an important starting point to develop educational interventions customised to students needs. Since dissonant study orchestrations in particular may be associated with student failure they are a primary target for student mentoring.