Delving into data on students’ instructional knowledge: A scoping review of the empirical research

Abstract

Students' knowledge of micro-level education – specifically, their knowledge of how education is provided – may impact their perception of the learning environment, which is often ill-adjusted to the situation. This discrepancy may negatively affect learning. To ensure the effectiveness of learning environments, it is therefore essential to take into account students' so-called ‘instructional knowledge’. However, this is made considerably difficult by the highly fragmented nature of available research. To address this issue, this scoping review aims to identify what characterizes the empirical literature on higher education students' instructional knowledge, with particular attention to theoretical foundations, conceptualizations, instrumentalizations, research aims, and findings. After an initial database search, systematic snowballing methods were employed to search for relevant literature. A screening based on specific eligibility criteria resulted in 71 included publications. Findings reveal a scarcity of theoretical underpinnings, which are highly diverse but also share some commonalities. Similarly, numerous conceptualizations were identified, revealing instructional knowledge as a layered construct that can be mapped onto a number of dimensions, such as, for instance, the knowledge domain in which descriptions are situated. Regarding the instruments used, research relies primarily on a specific type of self-report, and there are few psychometrically sound instruments to assess instructional knowledge. Furthermore, the analysis revealed that the research primarily revolves around three categories of aims, with a predominant focus on descriptive publications, and findings tend to be largely inconclusive. The review concludes by proposing a comprehensive, operationalizable conceptualization and updated model of instructional knowledge, providing a strong foundation for further research.