Liesje Coertjens | University of Antwerp (original) (raw)

Papers by Liesje Coertjens

Research paper thumbnail of Proceedings of the 16th Annual conference of education , learning, styles, individual differences network

... Vanthournout, Gert; Coertjens, Liesje; Donche, Vincent; Evans, Carol; Cools, Eva; Pedrosa deJ... more ... Vanthournout, Gert; Coertjens, Liesje; Donche, Vincent; Evans, Carol; Cools, Eva; Pedrosa deJesus, Helena - Proceedings of the 16th Annual ... of teaching approaches on students approaches to learning in higher education. Donche, Vincent; Maeyer, de, Sven; Coertjens, Liesje ...

Research paper thumbnail of Toward effective learning pattern feedback: an exploratory study

Research paper thumbnail of Developing learning within and across disciplines: evidence from research and practice: proceedings of the 16th Annual conference of education , learning, styles, individual differences network

Research paper thumbnail of The relationship between academic motivation, learning strategies and first year student's study persistence and study-progress in a professional bachelor program

Research paper thumbnail of Students’ approaches to learning in problem-based learning: Taking into account professional behavior in the tutorial groups, self-study time, and different assessment aspects

Studies In Educational Evaluation

Problem-based learning (PBL) represents a major development in higher educational practice and is... more Problem-based learning (PBL) represents a major development in higher educational practice and is believed to promote deep learning in students. However, empirical findings on the promotion of deep learning in PBL remain unclear. The aim of the present study is to investigate the relationships between students’ approaches to learning (SAL) and academic achievement in a PBL environment, taking into account the role of self-study time and students’ professional behavior in the PBL tutorial groups. In addition, different knowledge categories that determine achievement (i.e., understanding of concepts, understanding of the principles that link concepts, and the linking of concepts and principles to conditions and procedures for application) were taken into account. A hypothesized structural equation model including these variables was tested. Results showed that the PBL students in this study reported more use of a surface compared to a deep approach to learning. The hypothesized model ...

Research paper thumbnail of Een kwalitatieve studie naar de beleving van sociaal-economische gevolgen van echtscheiding en coping-strategieën

Research paper thumbnail of Geleerde bladen van de 17de eeuw tot 2005: welke weerklank krijgt wetenschap in de geschreven pers?

Research paper thumbnail of The development of students' motivation in the transition from secondary to higher education: A longitudinal study

Learning and Individual Differences, 2015

ABSTRACT The aim of the current study is to investigate the development of students' moti... more ABSTRACT The aim of the current study is to investigate the development of students' motivation across the transition from secondary to higher education. Data regarding students' motivation as conceptualised by the self-determination theory was collected at five measurement moments, over a period of 25 months, starting within the final year of secondary education up to the second year of higher education. In this study, 630 students participated who made the transition to higher education. After establishing longitudinal measurement invariance, the development of students' motivation was assessed by means of multiple indicator latent growth analysis. The findings show a positive development of motivation across the transition from secondary to higher education. Autonomous motivation increased across the five measurement moments. The increase in controlled motivation is limited but mostly takes place during the transition from secondary education to higher education. Although amotivation increased within secondary education and remained stable within higher education; it was however significantly lower at the start of higher education than at the end of secondary education.

Research paper thumbnail of Students' Persistence and Academic Success in a First-Year Professional Bachelor Program: The Influence of Students' Learning Strategies and Academic Motivation

Education Research International, 2012

The present study explores whether students' learning strategies and academic motivation predict ... more The present study explores whether students' learning strategies and academic motivation predict persistence and academic success in the first year of higher education. Freshmen students in a professional bachelor program in teacher education were questioned on their learning strategy use and motivation at the start and at the end of the academic year. Students' learning strategies were assessed using the inventory of learning styles-SV. Motivation was measured using scales from the self-regulation questionnaire and the academic motivation scale. Gender and students' prior education were incorporated as control variables. Logistic regression analyses and general linear modelling were applied to predict persistence and academic success, respectively. In each case a stepwise approach in data analysis was used. Results on persistence indicate that lack of regulation and amotivation at the start of the year are significant predictors. For academic success, results showed that relating and structuring, lack of regulation, and lack of motivation at the end of the year are meaningful predictors. Overall, our study demonstrates that learning strategies and motivation have a moderate explanatory value regarding academic success and persistence, and that these effects remain even after controlling for the influence of background variables.

Research paper thumbnail of Learning pattern development throughout higher education: A longitudinal study

Learning and Individual Differences, 2010

Research on learning pattern development in higher education contexts is scarce. This longitudina... more Research on learning pattern development in higher education contexts is scarce. This longitudinal study seeks to address this issue by analysing the development of students' learning patterns throughout University College. Vermunts' Inventory of Learning Styles was used to assess individual differences in learning conceptions and learning strategies. By examining intra-individual changes in learning patterns we expected to find developmental trends within learning patterns. Results show that meaning oriented learning increases over time and undirected learning decreases. Some learning patterns are however more subject to change than others. The development of learning patterns was found to be relative and dependent on the learning pattern which students have already acquired in the first-year of University College. .be (V. Donche). 1 Vermunt initially used the term 'learning style'. However, in order to take into account the modifiability of students' learning styles propose the use of a more neutral term 'learning patterns' which we also use in this article.

Research paper thumbnail of The Development of Approaches to Learning and Perceptions of the Teaching-Learning Environment During Bachelor Level Studies and Their Relation to Study Success

Higher Education Studies, 2014

The aim of the present study is to explore changes both in approaches to learning as well as in s... more The aim of the present study is to explore changes both in approaches to learning as well as in students' experiences of the teaching-learning environment and how these changes are related to each other during their Bachelor studies by using a longitudinal data set. The aim is further to explore how students' approaches to learning and their perceptions of the teaching-learning environment relate to study success. Participants comprised of 103 students at the Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences who participated in the present study from the first to third year of their Bachelor degree studies. We used a modified version of the ETLQ questionnaire and conducted Confirmatory factor analyses on scales representing approaches to learning and the teaching-learning environment at both measurements. We investigated changes at the group level using a paired sample t-test and conducted the final analysis with regression analyses. We then used Structural Equation Modelling to analyse the relationship between approaches to learning, perceptions of the teaching-learning environment, and study success. The results showed an increase in the deep approach to learning and a decrease in students' perceptions of teaching for understanding. Organised studying and interest in studies were related to study success. The results reveal the existence of complex relations between changes in approaches to learning and perceptions of the teaching-learning environment.

Research paper thumbnail of Impact of a generic instructional development programme on teaching approach and behaviour

Research paper thumbnail of The development of learning patterns throughout higher education

Research on learning pattern development in higher education contexts is scarce. In this longitud... more Research on learning pattern development in higher education contexts is scarce. In this longitudinal study the development of learning patterns of professional bachelor students is analyzed. Participants in the study were 254 students enrolled in eight different study disciplines. Vermunts' Inventory of Learning Styles was used to assess individual differences in learning conceptions and learning strategies. By examining intra-individual changes in learning patterns we expected to find developmental trends within learning patterns. Results show that meaning oriented learning increases over time and undirected learning decreases. Some learning patterns are however more subject to change than others. The development of learning patterns was found to be relative and dependent on the learning pattern which students have already mastered in the first-year of professional bachelor education.

Research paper thumbnail of Understanding differences in student learning and academic achievement in first year higher education

ABSTRACT This study explores the explanatory value of an integrated research perspective to under... more ABSTRACT This study explores the explanatory value of an integrated research perspective to understand differences in student learning and academic achievement in first year higher education. Two cohorts (N = 1594) of first-year students from eight different professional bachelor programmes of a University College participated. Structural equation modelling reveals that, after control for students’ socio-economic and linguistic ethnic background, having more academic self-confidence as well as being more autonomously motivated seems to be an important lever for more academic performance in terms of more active use of learning strategies as well as higher academic achievement.

Research paper thumbnail of Vocational Education Students’ Generic Working Life Competencies: Developing a Self-Assessment Instrument

Vocations and Learning, 2014

ABSTRACT The current study reports on the process of developing a self-assessment instrument for ... more ABSTRACT The current study reports on the process of developing a self-assessment instrument for vocational education students’ generic working life competencies. The instrument was developed based on a competence framework and in close collaboration with several vocational education teachers and intermediary organisations offering various human resource services. A first version of the questionnaire was presented to 26 students and 5 recent graduates who were asked to comment on the items. The pilot version of the questionnaire was completed by 826 students. Half of the data were used to explore the structure of the questionnaire (n = 413) and the other half were used to confirm the structure (n = 413). The results showed that 8 factors could be distinguished. Further analysis reduced this to 7 usable factors: empathy, listening, assertiveness, professional attitude, problem solving, cooperation ability and, planning and prioritising. The revised questionnaire containing 44 items was tested a second time to determine the stability and measurement invariance of the instrument. In total, 456 students from the first sample completed the questionnaire. The structure was confirmed and measurement invariance across students with and without working experience was established.

Research paper thumbnail of Assessing students’ development in learning approaches according to initial learning profiles: A person-oriented perspective

Studies in Educational Evaluation, 2013

Research paper thumbnail of Analysing change in learning strategies over time: A comparison of three statistical techniques

Studies in Educational Evaluation, 2013

Change in learning strategies during higher education is an important topic of research when cons... more Change in learning strategies during higher education is an important topic of research when considering students' approaches to learning. Regarding the statistical techniques used to analyse this change, repeated measures ANOVA is mostly relied upon. Recently, multilevel and multi-indicator latent growth (MILG) analyses have been used as well. The present study provides details concerning the differences between these three techniques. By applying them to the same dataset, we aim to answer two research questions. Firstly, ...

Research paper thumbnail of Modeling Change in Learning Strategies throughout Higher Education: A Multi-Indicator Latent Growth Perspective

PLoS ONE, 2013

The change in learning strategies during higher education is an important topic of research in th... more The change in learning strategies during higher education is an important topic of research in the Student Approaches to Learning field. Although the studies on this topic are increasingly longitudinal, analyses have continued to rely primarily on traditional statistical methods. The present research is innovative in the way it uses a multi-indicator latent growth analysis in order to more accurately estimate the general and differential development in learning strategy scales. Moreover, the predictive strength of the latent growth models are estimated. The sample consists of one cohort of Flemish University College students, 245 of whom participated in the three measurement waves by filling out the processing and regulation strategies scales of the Inventory of Learning Styles -Short Versions. Independent-samples t-tests revealed that the longitudinal group is a non-random subset of students starting University College. For each scale, a multi-indicator latent growth model is estimated using Mplus 6.1. Results suggest that, on average, during higher education, students persisting in their studies in a non-delayed manner seem to shift towards high-quality learning and away from undirected and surfaceoriented learning. Moreover, students from the longitudinal group are found to vary in their initial levels, while, unexpectedly, not in their change over time. Although the growth models fit the data well, significant residual variances in the latent factors remain. Citation: Coertjens L, Donche V, De Maeyer S, Vanthournout G, Van Petegem P (2013) Modeling Change in Learning Strategies throughout Higher Education: A Multi-Indicator Latent Growth Perspective. PLoS ONE 8(7): e67854.

Research paper thumbnail of Autochtone en allochtone vrijwilligers in het jeugdwerk

Research paper thumbnail of Longitudinal Measurement Invariance of Likert-Type Learning Strategy Scales: Are We Using the Same Ruler at Each Wave?

Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 2012

Abstract Whether or not learning strategies change during the course of higher education is an im... more Abstract Whether or not learning strategies change during the course of higher education is an important topic in the Student Approaches to Learning field. However, there is a dearth of any empirical evaluations in the literature as to whether or not the instruments in this research domain measure equivalently over time. Therefore, this study details the procedure of longitudinal measurement invariance testing of self-report Likert-type scales, using the case of learning strategies. The sample consists of 245 University College students who ...

Research paper thumbnail of Proceedings of the 16th Annual conference of education , learning, styles, individual differences network

... Vanthournout, Gert; Coertjens, Liesje; Donche, Vincent; Evans, Carol; Cools, Eva; Pedrosa deJ... more ... Vanthournout, Gert; Coertjens, Liesje; Donche, Vincent; Evans, Carol; Cools, Eva; Pedrosa deJesus, Helena - Proceedings of the 16th Annual ... of teaching approaches on students approaches to learning in higher education. Donche, Vincent; Maeyer, de, Sven; Coertjens, Liesje ...

Research paper thumbnail of Toward effective learning pattern feedback: an exploratory study

Research paper thumbnail of Developing learning within and across disciplines: evidence from research and practice: proceedings of the 16th Annual conference of education , learning, styles, individual differences network

Research paper thumbnail of The relationship between academic motivation, learning strategies and first year student's study persistence and study-progress in a professional bachelor program

Research paper thumbnail of Students’ approaches to learning in problem-based learning: Taking into account professional behavior in the tutorial groups, self-study time, and different assessment aspects

Studies In Educational Evaluation

Problem-based learning (PBL) represents a major development in higher educational practice and is... more Problem-based learning (PBL) represents a major development in higher educational practice and is believed to promote deep learning in students. However, empirical findings on the promotion of deep learning in PBL remain unclear. The aim of the present study is to investigate the relationships between students’ approaches to learning (SAL) and academic achievement in a PBL environment, taking into account the role of self-study time and students’ professional behavior in the PBL tutorial groups. In addition, different knowledge categories that determine achievement (i.e., understanding of concepts, understanding of the principles that link concepts, and the linking of concepts and principles to conditions and procedures for application) were taken into account. A hypothesized structural equation model including these variables was tested. Results showed that the PBL students in this study reported more use of a surface compared to a deep approach to learning. The hypothesized model ...

Research paper thumbnail of Een kwalitatieve studie naar de beleving van sociaal-economische gevolgen van echtscheiding en coping-strategieën

Research paper thumbnail of Geleerde bladen van de 17de eeuw tot 2005: welke weerklank krijgt wetenschap in de geschreven pers?

Research paper thumbnail of The development of students' motivation in the transition from secondary to higher education: A longitudinal study

Learning and Individual Differences, 2015

ABSTRACT The aim of the current study is to investigate the development of students' moti... more ABSTRACT The aim of the current study is to investigate the development of students' motivation across the transition from secondary to higher education. Data regarding students' motivation as conceptualised by the self-determination theory was collected at five measurement moments, over a period of 25 months, starting within the final year of secondary education up to the second year of higher education. In this study, 630 students participated who made the transition to higher education. After establishing longitudinal measurement invariance, the development of students' motivation was assessed by means of multiple indicator latent growth analysis. The findings show a positive development of motivation across the transition from secondary to higher education. Autonomous motivation increased across the five measurement moments. The increase in controlled motivation is limited but mostly takes place during the transition from secondary education to higher education. Although amotivation increased within secondary education and remained stable within higher education; it was however significantly lower at the start of higher education than at the end of secondary education.

Research paper thumbnail of Students' Persistence and Academic Success in a First-Year Professional Bachelor Program: The Influence of Students' Learning Strategies and Academic Motivation

Education Research International, 2012

The present study explores whether students' learning strategies and academic motivation predict ... more The present study explores whether students' learning strategies and academic motivation predict persistence and academic success in the first year of higher education. Freshmen students in a professional bachelor program in teacher education were questioned on their learning strategy use and motivation at the start and at the end of the academic year. Students' learning strategies were assessed using the inventory of learning styles-SV. Motivation was measured using scales from the self-regulation questionnaire and the academic motivation scale. Gender and students' prior education were incorporated as control variables. Logistic regression analyses and general linear modelling were applied to predict persistence and academic success, respectively. In each case a stepwise approach in data analysis was used. Results on persistence indicate that lack of regulation and amotivation at the start of the year are significant predictors. For academic success, results showed that relating and structuring, lack of regulation, and lack of motivation at the end of the year are meaningful predictors. Overall, our study demonstrates that learning strategies and motivation have a moderate explanatory value regarding academic success and persistence, and that these effects remain even after controlling for the influence of background variables.

Research paper thumbnail of Learning pattern development throughout higher education: A longitudinal study

Learning and Individual Differences, 2010

Research on learning pattern development in higher education contexts is scarce. This longitudina... more Research on learning pattern development in higher education contexts is scarce. This longitudinal study seeks to address this issue by analysing the development of students' learning patterns throughout University College. Vermunts' Inventory of Learning Styles was used to assess individual differences in learning conceptions and learning strategies. By examining intra-individual changes in learning patterns we expected to find developmental trends within learning patterns. Results show that meaning oriented learning increases over time and undirected learning decreases. Some learning patterns are however more subject to change than others. The development of learning patterns was found to be relative and dependent on the learning pattern which students have already acquired in the first-year of University College. .be (V. Donche). 1 Vermunt initially used the term 'learning style'. However, in order to take into account the modifiability of students' learning styles propose the use of a more neutral term 'learning patterns' which we also use in this article.

Research paper thumbnail of The Development of Approaches to Learning and Perceptions of the Teaching-Learning Environment During Bachelor Level Studies and Their Relation to Study Success

Higher Education Studies, 2014

The aim of the present study is to explore changes both in approaches to learning as well as in s... more The aim of the present study is to explore changes both in approaches to learning as well as in students' experiences of the teaching-learning environment and how these changes are related to each other during their Bachelor studies by using a longitudinal data set. The aim is further to explore how students' approaches to learning and their perceptions of the teaching-learning environment relate to study success. Participants comprised of 103 students at the Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences who participated in the present study from the first to third year of their Bachelor degree studies. We used a modified version of the ETLQ questionnaire and conducted Confirmatory factor analyses on scales representing approaches to learning and the teaching-learning environment at both measurements. We investigated changes at the group level using a paired sample t-test and conducted the final analysis with regression analyses. We then used Structural Equation Modelling to analyse the relationship between approaches to learning, perceptions of the teaching-learning environment, and study success. The results showed an increase in the deep approach to learning and a decrease in students' perceptions of teaching for understanding. Organised studying and interest in studies were related to study success. The results reveal the existence of complex relations between changes in approaches to learning and perceptions of the teaching-learning environment.

Research paper thumbnail of Impact of a generic instructional development programme on teaching approach and behaviour

Research paper thumbnail of The development of learning patterns throughout higher education

Research on learning pattern development in higher education contexts is scarce. In this longitud... more Research on learning pattern development in higher education contexts is scarce. In this longitudinal study the development of learning patterns of professional bachelor students is analyzed. Participants in the study were 254 students enrolled in eight different study disciplines. Vermunts' Inventory of Learning Styles was used to assess individual differences in learning conceptions and learning strategies. By examining intra-individual changes in learning patterns we expected to find developmental trends within learning patterns. Results show that meaning oriented learning increases over time and undirected learning decreases. Some learning patterns are however more subject to change than others. The development of learning patterns was found to be relative and dependent on the learning pattern which students have already mastered in the first-year of professional bachelor education.

Research paper thumbnail of Understanding differences in student learning and academic achievement in first year higher education

ABSTRACT This study explores the explanatory value of an integrated research perspective to under... more ABSTRACT This study explores the explanatory value of an integrated research perspective to understand differences in student learning and academic achievement in first year higher education. Two cohorts (N = 1594) of first-year students from eight different professional bachelor programmes of a University College participated. Structural equation modelling reveals that, after control for students’ socio-economic and linguistic ethnic background, having more academic self-confidence as well as being more autonomously motivated seems to be an important lever for more academic performance in terms of more active use of learning strategies as well as higher academic achievement.

Research paper thumbnail of Vocational Education Students’ Generic Working Life Competencies: Developing a Self-Assessment Instrument

Vocations and Learning, 2014

ABSTRACT The current study reports on the process of developing a self-assessment instrument for ... more ABSTRACT The current study reports on the process of developing a self-assessment instrument for vocational education students’ generic working life competencies. The instrument was developed based on a competence framework and in close collaboration with several vocational education teachers and intermediary organisations offering various human resource services. A first version of the questionnaire was presented to 26 students and 5 recent graduates who were asked to comment on the items. The pilot version of the questionnaire was completed by 826 students. Half of the data were used to explore the structure of the questionnaire (n = 413) and the other half were used to confirm the structure (n = 413). The results showed that 8 factors could be distinguished. Further analysis reduced this to 7 usable factors: empathy, listening, assertiveness, professional attitude, problem solving, cooperation ability and, planning and prioritising. The revised questionnaire containing 44 items was tested a second time to determine the stability and measurement invariance of the instrument. In total, 456 students from the first sample completed the questionnaire. The structure was confirmed and measurement invariance across students with and without working experience was established.

Research paper thumbnail of Assessing students’ development in learning approaches according to initial learning profiles: A person-oriented perspective

Studies in Educational Evaluation, 2013

Research paper thumbnail of Analysing change in learning strategies over time: A comparison of three statistical techniques

Studies in Educational Evaluation, 2013

Change in learning strategies during higher education is an important topic of research when cons... more Change in learning strategies during higher education is an important topic of research when considering students' approaches to learning. Regarding the statistical techniques used to analyse this change, repeated measures ANOVA is mostly relied upon. Recently, multilevel and multi-indicator latent growth (MILG) analyses have been used as well. The present study provides details concerning the differences between these three techniques. By applying them to the same dataset, we aim to answer two research questions. Firstly, ...

Research paper thumbnail of Modeling Change in Learning Strategies throughout Higher Education: A Multi-Indicator Latent Growth Perspective

PLoS ONE, 2013

The change in learning strategies during higher education is an important topic of research in th... more The change in learning strategies during higher education is an important topic of research in the Student Approaches to Learning field. Although the studies on this topic are increasingly longitudinal, analyses have continued to rely primarily on traditional statistical methods. The present research is innovative in the way it uses a multi-indicator latent growth analysis in order to more accurately estimate the general and differential development in learning strategy scales. Moreover, the predictive strength of the latent growth models are estimated. The sample consists of one cohort of Flemish University College students, 245 of whom participated in the three measurement waves by filling out the processing and regulation strategies scales of the Inventory of Learning Styles -Short Versions. Independent-samples t-tests revealed that the longitudinal group is a non-random subset of students starting University College. For each scale, a multi-indicator latent growth model is estimated using Mplus 6.1. Results suggest that, on average, during higher education, students persisting in their studies in a non-delayed manner seem to shift towards high-quality learning and away from undirected and surfaceoriented learning. Moreover, students from the longitudinal group are found to vary in their initial levels, while, unexpectedly, not in their change over time. Although the growth models fit the data well, significant residual variances in the latent factors remain. Citation: Coertjens L, Donche V, De Maeyer S, Vanthournout G, Van Petegem P (2013) Modeling Change in Learning Strategies throughout Higher Education: A Multi-Indicator Latent Growth Perspective. PLoS ONE 8(7): e67854.

Research paper thumbnail of Autochtone en allochtone vrijwilligers in het jeugdwerk

Research paper thumbnail of Longitudinal Measurement Invariance of Likert-Type Learning Strategy Scales: Are We Using the Same Ruler at Each Wave?

Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 2012

Abstract Whether or not learning strategies change during the course of higher education is an im... more Abstract Whether or not learning strategies change during the course of higher education is an important topic in the Student Approaches to Learning field. However, there is a dearth of any empirical evaluations in the literature as to whether or not the instruments in this research domain measure equivalently over time. Therefore, this study details the procedure of longitudinal measurement invariance testing of self-report Likert-type scales, using the case of learning strategies. The sample consists of 245 University College students who ...