How Do the Expectations of University Teachers Affect Study Habits of Students?

Mojca Kovač Šebart, Jasna Mažgon, Tadej Vidmar and Miha Kovač

Summary:  The text presents the results of a research conducted on a sample of 429 students in some bachelor‘s and master‘s programs at the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Education of the University of Ljubljana. The students were asked about their study habits in relation to their exams. The results show that just over a quarter of the students study the assigned reading material in most subjects - or as a rule, in all subjects of their interest - regardless of the teacher‘s requirements. At the same time, the results also show that when studying for the exam, students clearly adhere to the requirements and expectations set for them by the university teachers and that they study in such a way as to meet their expectations (regarding the methods and scope of study). From the obtained data it can be concluded that students‘ motivation is not a sufficient condition for them to process the obligatory reading material and thus acquire the knowledge that can only be developed in this way. Results also indicate that the knowledge that makes it possible to transcend one‘s own experience and gain an understanding of the social and natural world has lost its meaning even at the university level and has simply been transformed into a skill that helps people to act; it is even possible to avoid reflection about what the content of applied knowledge should actually be.