Abstract:

Studies on approaches to learning evolved from inner to the subject (or personality centered) perspectives to interactionist (or activity centered) ones. Recent data sustain the variability hypothesis of approaches to learning: these are used contextually by students depending on the perception of the context. Variability studies use designs that vary from inter-subjects designs, aiming to identify departmental differences in students' approaches to learning to intra-subjects designs that aim to identify the ways students approach different academic subjects and tasks. Our study investigates the relation between the approaches to learning and the perceived context of learning in two different departments of our university. The results suggest that there is a positive relation between the perceived context and approaches to learning. Significant correlations were obtained for two of the learning approaches: deep and competitional, but no significant relation was found between surface approach and the related perception of the learning context. Future studies will have to identify the role of the perceptions of the learning context in the regulation of learning.

Keywords: learning styles, approaches to learning, regulation of learning