Approach to learning for assessment in economics

It is observed that in economics education research “there are few lines of research that lead to definitive conclusions” (Allgood & Schaur, 2019). This can be explained by the dominant use of the input–output model in economics education research studies. According to the Student Experience of Learning (SEL) framework, the links between learning inputs and output are mediated by students’ approaches to learning. This paper argues that to fully investigate learning in economics, the researcher should go beyond the input–output framework. While empirical studies confirm the theoretical association of approach and outcome based on the SEL framework, education researchers tend to focus on the overall approaches students utilise at the unit or course level. There is ample evidence that students utilise different learning approaches in different assessment regimes. If a study fails to investigate learning approaches students utilise in different assessment regimes, important assessment-specific relationships between approach and outcome may be missed. This paper documents the construction of an instrument for measuring learning activities in three traditional assessment regimes, viz. MCQ exam, essay assignment and essay exam in economics. The instrument was found to possess sound psychometric properties and ecological (post-dictive) validity, capable of discriminating approaches to learning for different assessments. Given the use of innovative assessments nowadays, researchers are encouraged to reword the instrument to make it more relevant to other assessment types.