Towards a student-centered education: Validation of the Italian version of the Conceptions of Learning and Teaching questionnaire

Giulia Rampoldi, Laura Montelisciani, Johanna C.G. Jacobs, Selena Russo, Stefano Ardenghi, Marco Bani, Laura Antolini, Fabrizio Consorti, Maria Grazia Strepparava

Accepted July 8, 2024

First published August 25, 2024

https://doi.org/10.26387/bpa.2024.00008

Abstract

Many medical schools have transitioned from traditional teacher-centred education to active studentcentred
education. The Conception of Learning and Teaching (COLT) questionnaire investigates teachers’ conceptions of
learning and teaching in student-centred medical education. This observational and multicentred study aims to validate
the Italian version of the Conceptions of Learning and Teaching (COLT-IT) questionnaire and assess the Italian medical
educators’ learning and teaching conceptions. To develop the COLT-IT, a back-translation was performed. The COLT-IT
and socio-demographic questionnaires were electronically distributed to educators across 13 Italian medical schools.
Analyses included explorative factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and reliability analysis. A total of
394 medical teachers completed the survey. Although the EFA suggested retaining three factors, statistical conditions led
to the exclusion of eleven of the original eighteen items and one factor. The CFA confirmed the bi-dimensional structure of
the COLT-IT. The two-factor scale retained the original naming of subscales: Teacher centredness (TC) and Appreciation
of active learning (AL). Approximately 50% of participants exhibited high levels of AL, while scores in the TC subscale
were more varied. No differences emerged based on gender, age, or the geographical location of the medical school. The
7-item COLT-IT is a reliable, valid, robust, and easy-to-administer tool for promoting and monitoring the implementation
of a student-centred approach in medical education.

References

ATTARD, A., DI IORIO, E., GEVEN, K., & SANTA, R. (2010).Student-Centred Learning: Toolkit for students, staff and higher education institutions. European Students’ Union(NJ1).
BOLHUIS, S., & VOETEN, M.J. (2004). Teachers’ conceptions of student learning and own learning. Teachers and Teaching, 10(1), 77-98.
BOMBEKE, K., SYMONS, L., DEBAENE, L., DE WINTER, B.,SCHOL, S., & VAN ROYEN, P. (2010). Help, I’m losing patient‐centredness! Experiences of medical students and their teachers. Medical Education, 44 (7), 662-673.
BRISLIN, R.W. (1986). The wording and translation of research instruments.
CARVALHO, H., DANE, F.C., & WHICKER, S.A. (2021). Conceptions of learning and teaching for faculty who teach basic science. Medical Science Educator, 31 (2), 745-751.
CATTELL, R.B. (1966). The scree test for the number of factors. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 1 (2), 245-276.
COMREY, A.L., & LEE, H.B. (1992). A first course in factor analysis. New York: Psychology Press.
CONSORTI, F. (2018). Didattica professionalizzante nei corsi di laurea in medicina.
COVILL, L., & COOK, J. (2019). Comparison of academic performance in traditional and flipped classrooms and students’ attitudes of the flipped experience. Journal of Allied Health, 48(1), 1E-7E.
DENT, J., HARDEN, R.M., & HUNT, D. (2017). A practical guide for medical teachers. Elsevier Health Sciences.
FAMILIARI, G., & CONSORTI, F. (2013). The best evidence medical education and the essential skills on medical teaching: Important keys for medical education internationalization. Med Chir, 59,2662-2663.
FAMILIARI, G., VIOLANI, C., RELUCENTI, M., & HEYN, R.(2013). La realtà internazionale della formazione medica. Medic,21 (1), 53-59.
GAGNE, P., & HANCOCK, G.R. (2006). Measurement model quality, sample size, and solution propriety in confirmatory factor models. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 41 (1), 65-83.
doi.org/10.1207/s15327906mbr4101_5
GRIJPMA, J.W., MAK‐VAN DER VOSSEN, M., KUSURKAR, R.A.,MEETER, M., & DE LA CROIX, A. (2022). Medical student engagement in small‐group active learning: A stimulated recall study. Medical Education, 56 (4), 432-443.
HARDEN, R.M., SOWDEN, S., & DUNN, W.R. (1984). Educational strategies in curriculum development: The SPICES model. Medical Education, 18 (4), 284-297.
HENSELER, J., RINGLE, C.M., & SARSTEDT, M. (2015). A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43 (1), 115-135.
HOPPER, M.K., & BRAKE, D.A. (2018). Student engagement and higher order skill proficiency: A comparison of traditional didactic and renewed integrated active learning curricula. Advances in Physiology Education, 42 (4), 685-692.
HORN, J.L. (1965). A rationale and test for the number of factors infactor analysis. Psychometrika, 30 (2), 179-185.
JACOBS, J.C., MUIJTJENS, A.M., VAN LUIJK, S.J., VAN DERVLEUTEN, C.P., CROISET, G., & SCHEELE, F. (2015). Impactof institute and person variables on teachers’ conceptions of learning and teaching. Medical Teacher, 37 (8), 738-746.
JACOBS, J.C., VAN LUIJK, S.J., GALINDO-GARRE, F., MUIJTJENS,A.M., VAN DER VLEUTEN, C.P., CROISET, G., & SCHEELE, F.(2014). Five teacher profiles in student-centred curricula based on their conceptions of learning and teaching. BMC Medical Education, 14 (1), 220.
JACOBS, J.C., VAN LUIJK, S.J., VAN BERKEL, H., VAN DERVLEUTEN, C.P., CROISET, G., & SCHEELE, F. (2012).Development of an instrument (the COLT) to measure conceptions on learning and teaching of teachers, in student-centred medical education. Medical Teacher, 34 (7), e483-e491.
JACOBS, J.C., VAN LUIJK, S.J., VAN DER VLEUTEN, C.P.,KUSURKAR, R.A., CROISET, G., & SCHEELE, F. (2016). Teachers’ conceptions of learning and teaching in student-centred medical curricula: The impact of context and personal characteristics. BMC Medical Education, 16 (1), 1-11.
JACOBS, J.C., WILSCHUT, J., VAN DER VLEUTEN, C., SCHEELE,F., CROISET, G., & KUSURKAR, R.A. (2020). An international study on teachers’ conceptions of learning and teaching and corresponding teacher profiles. Medical Teacher, 42 (9),1000-1004.
JUDD, C.M., JESSOR, R., & DONOVAN, J.E. (1986). Structural equation models and personality research. Journal of Personality,54 (1), 149-198.
doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.1986.tb00392.x
KEMBER, D. (2009). Promoting student-centred forms of learning across an entire university. Higher Education, 58 (1), 1-13.
KIM, H.-R., SONG, Y., LINDQUIST, R., & KANG, H.-Y. (2016).Effects of team-based learning on problem-solving, knowledge and clinical performance of Korean nursing students. Nurse Education Today, 38, 115-118.
KLINE, R.B. (2011). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling. New York, NY: Guilford.
LEYS, C., KLEIN, O., DOMINICY, Y., & LEY, C. (2018). Detecting multivariate outliers: Use a robust variant of the Mahalanobis distance. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 74, 150-156.
LI, Y., WANG, X., ZHU, X., ZHU, Y., & SUN, J. (2019). Effectiveness of problem-based learning on the professional communication competencies of nursing students and nurses: A systematic review. Nurse Education in Practice, 37, 45-55.
MATSUNAGA, M. (2010). How to factor-analyze your data right: Do’s, Don’ts, and How-To’s. International Journal of Psychological Research, 3 (1), 97-110.
McLEAN, M., & GIBBS, T. (2010). Twelve tips to designing and implementing a learner-centred curriculum: Prevention is better than cure. Medical Teacher, 32 (3), 225-230.
McLEAN, S.F. (2016). Case-based learning and its application in medical and health-care fields: A review of worldwide literature. Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development, 3,S20377.
MICHAELSEN, L.K., SWEET, M., & PARMELEE, D.X. (2011).Team-based learning: Small group learning’s next big step. JohnWiley & Sons.
MORIN, A.J.S., MARSH, H.W., & NAGENGAST, B. (2013).Exploratory structural equation modeling. In Structural equation modeling: A second course. Information Age Publishing.
MUTHÉN, B. (1984). A general structural equation model with dichotomous, ordered categorical, and continuous latent variable indicators. Psychometrika, 49 (1), 115-132.
NORTON, L., RICHARDSON, T.E., HARTLEY, J., NEWSTEAD, S.,& MAYES, J. (2005). Teachers’ beliefs and intentions concerning teaching in higher education. Higher Education, 50 (4), 537-571.
NUNDY, S., KAKAR, A., & BHUTTA, Z.A. (2022). The why and how of problem-based learning? In How to Practice Academic Medicine and Publish from Developing Countries? Springer.
NUNNALLY, J.C. (1978). Psychometric theory 2nd edition. New York:McGraw.
PACIFICO, J.L., VAN MOOK, W., DONKERS, J., JACOBS, J.C.,VAN DER VLEUTEN, C., & HEENEMAN, S. (2021). Extending the use of the Conceptions of Learning and Teaching (COLT) instrument to the postgraduate setting. BMC Medical Education,21 (1), 1-6.
PAJARES, M.F. (1992). Teachers’ beliefs and educational research: Cleaning up a messy construct. Review of Educational Research,62 (3), 307-332.
POSTAREFF, L. (2007). Teaching in higher education: From content-focused to learning-focused approaches to teaching.
POSTAREFF, L., LINDBLOM-YLÄNNE, S., & NEVGI, A. (2008). Afollow-up study of the effect of pedagogical training on teachingin higher education. Higher Education, 56 (1), 29-43.
PRATT, D.D., & COLLINS, J.B. (2001). Teaching Perspectives Inventory. Retrieved November, 10, 2012.
ROTTHOFF, T., BAEHRING, T., DAVID, D.M., BARTNICK, C.,LINDE, F., WILLERS, R., SCHÄFER, R.D., & SCHERBAUM,W.A. (2011). The value of training in communication skills fo rcontinuing medical education. Patient Education and Counseling, 84 (2), 170-175.
SADLER, I. (2012). The challenges for new academics in adopting student-centred approaches to teaching. Studies in Higher Education, 37 (6), 731-745.
SNELGROVE, H., FAMILIARI, G., GALLO, P., GAUDIO, E., LENZI,A., ZIPARO, V., & FRATI, L. (2009). The challenge of reform:10 years of curricula change in Italian medical schools. Medical Teacher, 31 (12), 1047-1055.
SULAIMAN, N.A., SHAHIMI, S., & ZAKARIA, Z. (2021). Student-centred, lecturer-centred, and hybrid teaching methods: Impacts on accounting students’ technical and soft skills. Asian Journal of Accounting Perspectives, 14 (2), 67-92.
SURESH, K.P., & CHANDRASHEKARA, S. (2012). Sample size estimation and power analysis for clinical research studies. Journal of Human Reproductive Sciences, 5 (1), 7.
TRIGWELL, K., & PROSSER, M. (1996). Congruence between intention and strategy in university science teachers’ approaches to teaching. Higher Education, 32 (1), 77-87.
TRIGWELL, K., PROSSER, M., & WATERHOUSE, F. (1999). Relations between teachers’ approaches to teaching and students’ approaches to learning. Higher Education, 37 (1), 57-70.
ULFA, Y., IGARASHI, Y., TAKAHATA, K., SHISHIDO, E., &HORIUCHI, S. (2021). A comparison of team-based learning and lecture-based learning on clinical reasoning and classroom engagement: A cluster randomized controlled trial. BMC Medical Education, 21 (1), 1-11.
WALD, H.S., McFARLAND, J., & MARKOVINA, I. (2019). Medical humanities in medical education and practice. Medical Teacher,41 (5), 492-496.
XHOMARA, N. (2022). Critical thinking: Student-centred teaching approach and personalised learning, as well as previous education achievements, contribute to critical thinking skills of students. International Journal of Learning and Change, 14 (1), 101-120.
ZUMBO,B.D.,GADERMANN,A.M.,&ZEISSER,C.(2007).Ordinal versions of coefficients alpha and theta for Likert rating scales. Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods, 6 (1), 4.

SHOW ALL REFERENCES (54)HIDE REFERENCES

DOWNLOAD PDF

Issue:

Issue 300

Keywords:

Views:

539

Downloads:

Cite the article:

Rampoldi Giulia . Montelisciani Laura . Jacobs Johanna C.G. . Russo Selena . Ardenghi Stefano . Bani Marco . Antolini Laura . Consorti Fabrizio . Strepparava Maria Grazia . Towards a student-centered education: Validation of the Italian version of the Conceptions of Learning and Teaching questionnaire. BPA Applied Psychology Bulletin. 2024;300(1):64-76. doi:10.26387/bpa.300.1.

CITE THE ARTICLE

12764

Towards a student-centered education: Validation of the Italian version of the Conceptions of Learning and Teaching questionnaire

Abstract

References

Article info

Issue:

Keywords:

Views:

Downloads:

Cite the article:

BPA - BULLETIN OF APPLIED PSYHOLOGY

MANAGEMENT AND EDITORIAL OFFICE

ABOUT US

Citation tool

How to cite this article