ISANA

Bobbie Matthews

Abstract:  A longitudinal study was undertaken to investigate whether CHC students’ approaches to learning were retained or modified in a Western social, cultural, and educational environment. A bilingual version (Chinese and English) of the Study Process Questionnaire (Biggs, 1987) (SPQ) was used to measure sojourner students’ approaches to learning on five occasions over two years in Australia. A two-level analysis was undertaken at the intra and inter student levels to see if there was change in the students’ approaches to learning. A negative occasion slope for Surface Motivation suggested that superficial learning decreased while the positive occasion slopes associated with the Deep and Achieving approaches to learning indicated that approaches to learning that were problem-based and directed toward achievement increased over time. These results showed that five of six approaches to learning changed during the period, but not for all groups of students. While there was no significant change for the Surface Strategy approach over time, there were effects associated with this approach and the characteristics of particular groups of students.

Key words: Approaches to learning, Study Process Questionnaire, intra and inter student levels, two-level analysis, occasion slope, direct effects and interaction effects.

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