Factors explaining the learning of generic skills: a study of university students’ experiences

Figures & data

Table 1. Definition of generic skills examined.

Ways of thinking (according to the definition of Binkley et al. 2012)	Skills in this study
I. Creativity and innovation	Resourcefulness, innovativeness, and creativity Ability to operate in new situations
II. Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making	Critical thinking skills Problem-solving skills Decision-making skills Ability to solve occupational problems
III. Learning to learn or to use metacognition	Continuing learning skills Self-assessment skills

Table 2. Alphas, items, and correlations of aggregate scales describing the pedagogical practices of the courses (CLE = Constructivist Learning Environment, IP = Integrative Pedagogy).

Aggregate scale	Cronbach’s alpha	Items	Correlations of the item with the aggregate scale
Sharing and utilizing students’ earlier experiences and knowledge (CLE)	.89	Sharing personal experiences	.838
		Learning from other students’ experiences	.820
		Utilizing other students’ experiences	.810
		Utilizing other students’ earlier knowledge	.550
Acting at the interface between theory and practice (IP)	.89	Acquiring practical knowledge	.771
		Integrating theory and practice	.768
		Teacher relating and demonstrating practical examples	.676
		Connections between teaching and working life	.661
		Students looking for examples on their own	.638
		Applying theory to practice	.622
		Analysing familiar phenomena with the help of theoretical knowledge	.605
		Analysing students’ own learning experiences with the help of theoretical knowledge	.578
Feedback, assessment,and summarizing tasks (CLE)	.87	Receiving feedback	.808
		Practising giving feedback	.767
		Summarizing of key contents by the students	.704
		Summarizing of key contents by the teacher	.638
		Developing assessment skills	.562
Critical examination of knowledge (CLE)	.86	Analyzing things from different perspectives	.708
		Critical evaluation of theories by the teacher	.676
		Critical evaluation of theories by the students	.666
		Developing a critical view	.656
		Seeking different explanations for the same thing	.610
		Comparing different theories	.581

Table 3. A summary of the dependent and independent variables of this study.

Dependent variables (8)

Independent variables (19)

(1) Resourcefulness, innovativeness, and creativity (2) Ability to operate in new situations (3) Critical thinking skills (4) Problem-solving skills (5) Decision-making skills (6) Ability to solve occupational problems (7) Continuing learning skills (8) Self-assessment skills

Forms of teaching and learning: (1) Lecturing (2) Direction or guidance from teacher (3) Feedback or evaluation given by teacher (4) Discussion (5) Listening (6) Observing (7) Reading (8) Writing (9) Assessing one’s own work (10) Assessing other students’ work (11) Working alone (12) Working with others Features of a constructivist learning environment: (13) Students sharing and utilizing their earlier experiences and knowledge (14) Feedback, assessment, and summarizing tasks (15) Critical examination of knowledge Features of integrative pedagogy: (16) Acting at the interface between theory and practice (17) Learning of theoretical knowledge Atmosphere on the course: (18) Positive atmosphere during the course Assessment: (19) Clear assessment criteria

Table 4. Regression model for resourcefulness, innovativeness and creativity (36%), and the ability to operate in new situations (42%).

RESOURCEFULNESS, INNOVATIVENESS, AND CREATIVITY	R	R^2	Adjusted R^2	Std. error of estimate
	.604	.364	.346	.747
	R^2 change	F change	df1, df2	Sig. F change
	.026	4.353	1, 107	.039
Predictors	Unstandardized coefficients		Standardized coefficients		Sig.
	B	Std. error	β	t
1) Critical examination of knowledge	.461	.088	.428	5.260	.000
2) Positive learning atmosphere during the course	.542	.176	.248	3.073	.003
3) Lecturing	−.193	.092	−.163	−2.086	.039
ABILITY TO OPERATE IN NEW SITUATIONS	R	R^2	Adjusted R^2	Std. error of estimate
	.644	.415	.399	.774
	R^2 change	F change	df1, df2	Sig. F change
	.023	4.221	1, 107	.042
Predictors	Unstandardized coefficients		Standardized coefficients		Sig.
	B	Std. error	β	t
1) Acting at the interface between theory and practice	.522	.134	.395	3.880	.000
2) Reading	−.317	.098	−.246	−3.247	.002
3) Sharing and utilizing students’ earlier experiences and knowledge	.261	.127	.213	2.055	.042

Table 5. Regression models for critical thinking (18%) and decision-making skills (32%).

CRITICAL THINKING	R	R^2	Adjusted R^2	Std. error of estimate
	.426	.182	.174	.827
	R^2 change	F change	df1, df2	Sig. F change
	.182	24.189	1, 109	.000
Predictors	Unstandardized coefficients		Standardized coefficients
	B	Std. error	β	t	Sig.
1) Critical examination of knowledge	.452	.092	.426	4.918	.000
DECISION-MAKING SKILLS	R	R^2	Adjusted R^2	Std. error of estimate
	.567	.321	.302	.785
	R^2 change	F change	df1, df2	Sig. F change
	.030	4.627	1, 106	.034
Predictors	Unstandardized coefficients		Standardized coefficients		Sig.
	B	Std. error	β	t
1) Working with others	.204	.093	.226	2.202	.030
2) Assessment of other students’ work	.226	.105	.223	2.151	.034
3) Feedback, assessment, and summarizing tasks	.257	.133	.222	1.936	.056

Table 6. Regression models for problem-solving skills (49%) and the ability to solve occupational problems (47%).

PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS	R	R^2	Adjusted R^2	Std. error of estimate
	.697	.486	.467	.783
	R^2 change	F change	df1, df2	Sig. F change
	.028	5.834	1, 106	.017
Predictors	Unstandardized coefficients		Standardized coefficients		Sig.
	B	Std. error	β	t
1) Acting at the interface between theory and practice	.446	.131	.314	3.394	.001
2) Reading	−.312	.113	−.225	2.754	.007
3) Working with others	.220	.106	.212	2.077	.040
4) Assessment of other students’ work	.236	.098	.203	2.415	.017
ABILITY TO SOLVE OCCUPATIONAL PROBLEMS	R	R^2	Adjusted R^2	Std. error of estimate
	.687	.472	.462	.698
	R^2 change	F change	df1, df2	Sig. F change
	.046	9.357	1, 108	.003
Predictors	Unstandardized coefficients		Standardized coefficients		Sig.
	B	Std. error	β	t
1) Acting at the interface between theory and practice	.757	.091	.601	8.346	.000
2) Working alone	−.205	.067	−.220	−3.059	.003

Table 7. Regression model for continuing learning skills (24%) and self-assessment skills (39%).

CONTINUING LEARNING SKILLS	R	R^2	Adjusted R^2	Std. error of estimate
	.486	.236	.222	.901
	R^2 change	F change	df1, df2	Sig. F change
	.031	4.348	1, 108	.039
Predictors	Unstandardized coefficients		Standardized coefficients		Sig.
	B	Std. error	β	t
1) Critical examination of knowledge	.471	.105	.396	4.475	.000
2) Assessing one’s own work	.211	.101	.185	2.085	.039
SELF-ASSESSMENT SKILLS	R	R^2	Adjusted R^2	Std. error of estimate
	.628	.394	.383	.858
	R^2 change	F change	df1, df2	Sig. F change
	.056	9.831	1, 107	.002
Predictors	Unstandardized coefficients		Standardized coefficient		Sig.
	B	Std. error	β	t
1) Assessing one’s own work	.511	.111	.420	4.612	.000
2) Feedback, assessment, and summarizing tasks	.384	.122	.286	3.135	.002

Binkley, M., O. Erstad, J. Herman, S. Raizen, M. Ripley, M. Miller-Ricci, and M. Rumble. 2012. “Defining Twenty-first Century Skills.” In Assessment and Teaching of 21st Century Skills, edited by P. Griffin, B. McGraw, and E. Care, 17–66. New York: Springer.

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