Choosing to study independently - when is it a bad idea?

With ever increasing demands on limited resources, universities are looking for ways to utilize their resources more efficiently. At Swinburne University of Technology, in the statistics component of the psychology course, we have developed a set of materials which allow students to work independently, rather than attending lectures and tutorials. This means fewer students attend tutorials and we can give those that need it more individual assistance. A major concern with this strategy is that students might choose to work independently for inappropriate reasons. This study explores the differences in performance between students who choose to attend lectures and those who opt for independent study, and seeks to identify factors which explain these differences. The research is based on a number of questionnaires collected throughout the semester and analysed in conjunction with the students’ results.