Investigating secondary content teachers' and preservice teachers' conceptions of study strategy instruction

The literature reveals that although study strategies can be taught, learned, and applied, even by less successful students, teachers generally do not teach them. This study examined the question of “why not?” by investigating secondary content subjects' conceptions of study strategy instruction, in general, across four different stages of professional training and experience, and across four major discipline areas. One hundred and four subjects completed an open‐ended questionnaire. The questionnaire was designed to elicit candid and unprompted responses in order to examine subjects' conceptions of importance, responsibility, methodology, and confidence relative to teaching secondary students how to study better. Analyses of subjects' responses reveal: 1) a lack of knowledge and/or valuing of study strategies, and 2) a confusion of effective content teaching with effective process instruction, especially on the part of preservice teacher subjects.