Background: The construct of ?eld independence (FI) remains one of the most widely cited notions in research on cognitive style and on learning and instruction more generally. However, a great deal of confusion continues to exist around the de?nition of FI, its measurement, and the interpretation of research results, all of which have served to…

Learning styles have been construed in different ways but traditionally have been regarded as relatively stable. In contrast, the "student approaches to learning" perspective tends to assume that approaches to studying are contextually driven. This article argues for a rapprochement between these two traditions. First, the evidence that students'…

In Western countries, university students adopt various approaches to studying depending on how they perceive their learning environment. Their perceptions and approaches are related to demographic and contextual factors such as age, subject of study, gender, and year of study. This study looked for similar relationships in Pakistani students. A…

There has been a paucity of research on the experiences of students at Pakistani universities. A survey of over 900 students at two universities examined their approaches to studying and perceptions of their courses. Evidence was obtained for a deep approach, a surface approach and two aspects of a strategic approach. Their perceptions were based…

Background: The attainment of White students at UK institutions of higher education tends to be higher than that of students from other ethnic groups, but the causes of this are unclear. Aims: This study compared White students and students from other ethnic groups in their conceptions of learning, their approaches to studying, and their academic…

Background: Students in higher education are known to vary in their conceptions of learning, their approaches to studying, and the personal development and personal change that result. Aims: This study aimed to explore the relationships among these four aspects of students' experience; to examine whether there were variations across academic…

Background: Interview-based research has shown that students in higher education hold a number of different conceptions of learning and of themselves as learners. There is debate about whether these conceptions constitute a developmental hierarchy. Aims: This study evaluated the Mental Models section of Vermunt and van Rijswijk's (1988) Inventory…

Administered an adapted Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) and Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI) to Open University students. Found that approaches to studying in distance education are strongly associated with students' perceptions of the academic quality of their courses. (EV)

Research into learning and teaching in higher education over the last 25 years has provided a variety of concepts, methods, and findings that are of both theoretical interest and practical relevance. It has revealed the relationships between students' approaches to studying, their conceptions of learning, and their perceptions of their academic…

Examined approaches to studying among deaf distance-education students in Britain who preferred either sign language or spoken language. Findings included that deaf students seemed just as capable as hearing students of adopting a meaning orientation, and that there were no differences in approaches to studying related to students' preferred mode…

Approaches to studying were measured in male and female students taking arts and sciences degrees at three British colleges. Students taking science courses had greater reproduction orientation than those in arts courses. Females had greater meaning orientation in arts courses taken in a "female" learning environment, and when taking…

Identifies problems with the Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI) as a survey instrument for use with non-Western students. A study using ASI attempted to examine the effects of secondary educational experiences on Fiji college students' study habits. Responses suggested the students were influenced by an acquiescent response bias. (MJP)