| This ethnographic study documented the application of study strategies of five college students during one semester when strategies to improve reading and learning were taught and demonstrated. The participants were attending a branch of a four year institution and enrolled in Introduction to Psychology, a required course. The prime comprehension monitoring strategy taught was reciprocal teaching (Brown & Palinscar, 1985). Retrieval strategies were taught for test preparation. Support strategies taught were activities the student uses to monitor, schedule, and set the mood for learning.;This study also provides insight into reasons students choose specific study strategies. The participants began this study by using reciprocal teaching and the other study strategies the researcher explained and demonstrated. After the first test, the participants believed that the chapter objectives given to them by the psychology instructor should be utilized as a guide for their learning instead of the strategies provided by the researcher. This resulted in participants using the surface level strategy of memorizing answers to the chapter objectives. The participants did not believe that the deep level strategies, summarizing and applying the information to other situations, in reciprocal teaching, were necessary in order to receive their desired grade in psychology.;The implication of this study for professionals planning reading and learning assistance for college students is that if surface level strategies are sufficient to pass a course, those are the strategies the students will utilize. However, when surface level strategies are utilized and the student does not obtain the desired grade, then the student is more willing to apply deep level strategies to improve the grade.;Participants reported their strategy usage weekly through journals, questionnaires that included goal setting and evaluating their performance, and through dialog with the researcher. The participants took the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) as a pre- and post-test for comparison with their GPA and study strategies (Weinstein, Palmer, & Schulte, 1987). This information contributed insights about college students application of study strategies. |
