Identifying and evaluating potential instructional components for high school learning strategy programs

Abstract

The purposes of the study were to identify and compile information about learning strategy skills and curriculum components from current programs, the research literature, and developmental efforts to determine the current state-of-the-art and state-of-development for the secondary school. These skills and components were evaluated by a panel of twenty experts from the field of learning strategies and study skills to identify what learning strategy components should be in current use in high school programs. The research literature in the field of learning strategies/study skills was explored and evaluated. An instrument was developed, based on the research literature, which categorized and listed various types of learning strategies. The panel, in a three-round modified Delphi process, was asked to evaluate, rate, and rank each learning strategy skill and component to determine its efficacy and value to a high school program. . . . These skills and components chosen by the panel could serve as a model from which to develop the core foundations of a learning strategies program at the high school level. The learning strategies/study skills panel identified the following twelve skills as the most important to be included as a necessary core for a learning strategies/study skills curriculum: Notetaking, goal-setting, selecting main ideas, time management, problem solving, concentration/attentional, test readiness (preparation), student questioning, inference, self-directional processes, verbal elaboration, and imaginal elaboration. These skills, which were selected from a list of fifty-three potential components, are presented as a model for teachers to use to teach their students how to process and master high school course content. It is recommended that each skill be further defined and field-tested to improve our understanding of its application to the learning process, to ascertain the efficacy of each skill, and to validate their use. ...