Dealing with Desirable Difficulties: Supporting Students to Accept, Reduce, or Silence Effort

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Higher Education Pedagogy
• Learning Science

Background:

• Self-regulated learning presents challenges for many higher education students.
• Students often avoid effortful learning strategies, known as desirable difficulties, which are crucial for deep learning and knowledge transfer.
• The perception of effort versus actual learning significantly influences students' engagement with these beneficial, yet demanding, learning conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the relationship between perceived effort and perceived learning in the context of desirable difficulties.
• To identify effective pedagogical strategies for supporting students in self-regulated learning.
• To encourage the adoption of effortful learning techniques that promote long-term academic success.

Main Methods:

• Summarizes insights from a keynote lecture presented at the 2023 IAMSE Meeting.
• Discusses theoretical frameworks of self-regulated learning and desirable difficulties.
• Outlines potential intervention approaches for academic educators.

Main Results:

• The intricate relationship between perceived effort and perceived learning dictates students' willingness to engage with desirable difficulties.
• Students' choices regarding learning strategies are heavily influenced by their beliefs about the effort-learning connection.
• Effective interventions can guide students toward valuing and utilizing effortful learning experiences.

Conclusions:

• Academic teachers can implement targeted interventions to help students overcome reluctance towards effortful learning.
• Supporting students in the self-regulated use of desirable difficulties is essential for fostering robust, transferable knowledge.
• Shifting the perception of effort as a positive indicator of learning can enhance student engagement and academic outcomes.