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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Deadlines don’t prevent cramming: Course instruction and individual differences predict learning strategy use and exam performance

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Abstract The goal of the present study was to investigate how course instruction and individual differences in general academic competences and conscientiousness relate to students' learning strategy use and exam performance. The sample comprised two cohorts of university students who attended a lecture on the same topic, but with varying course instruction: In the blended course (N = 238), the teacher applied deadlines for self-testing and offered regular in-class meetings to encourage distributed practice over the semester. In the online course, students studied independently without regular meetings, nor deadlines (N = 200). Learning strategies were measured objectively using behavioral log-file data. Students in the blended course used fewer self-tests than online students which was associated with poor exam performance. Academic competences (high school GPA) positively predicted exam performance via more distributed practice and self-testing. Conscientiousness was related to more distributed practice which was associated with better exam performance. Results revealed that (voluntary) in-class meeting and deadlines did not prevent cramming. Especially less conscientious students with lower general academic competences need further support in applying efficient learning strategies.