February 04, 2007

Student learning is a challenging process which depends on a number of variables, both at the learner and institutional level. The factors at institutional level include admission criteria, teaching methodologies and assessment practices, curricula and student support services while at the learner level, the process is largely influenced by motivation, prior performance and different personal characteristics. The way students learn and the approaches they adopt to study also have a major influence on their achievement.

The term “approach” is used to signify both the learner’s intention and the way in which s/he processes information. There is general agreement that there are two fundamental approaches to learning: deep and surface, as originated from the research initiated in ’70s. Students who assume a deep approach to their learning are intrinsically motivated and search for meaning by integrating new information into existing knowledge. On the other hand, surface learners are extrinsically motivated and are more inclined towards the mere reproduction of facts and theories as is usually assessed in our examinations.

One other dimension that is added to these approaches is strategic or an achieving approach. Students who adopt this approach strive to achieve the highest grades through effective time management, organised study methods and

an awareness of assessment methods.

If we look at the research in higher education there is an abundance of literature on the said subject. Furthermore, one striking feature of the published research is a typical description of the profile of an Asian learner. In one study conducted in Australia which looked at the perceptions of learning problems by the academic staff, it was noted that overseas students generally rely more on memorising chunks of information and facts to pass through examinations. In the same study a faculty member from Veterinary Sciences has commented that students from Pakistan require more direction and are less self-firing than Australians. Similarly, some other studies have reported similar observations about Asian students. This has led to the emergence of a stereotype profile of Asian student as a group, that is;

• Respectful of the lecturer’s authority

• Diligent note taker

• Preoccupied with fulfilling the expectations of the lecturers

• Uncritical of information presented in the textbook and by the lecturers

• Reluctant to ask questions or volunteer to contribute in group discussions.

Of course, research has not been clearly able to demonstrate strong evidence in support of this profile and there are studies in which this profile has been argued. Keeping this in mind, a study was earlier conducted to determine the study approaches of Pakistani students in higher education using a validated questionnaire. The students scored higher on deep approach than surface irrespective of gender and fields of study.

This is a very interesting finding within our setting because the teaching practices are still based on the traditional models of teacher-centered learning, especially in public institutions. The assessment and examination system do not take into account higher cognitive skills but are more inclined towards the reproduction of facts. Thus, the prevalent learning environment may not be contributing towards the deep approaches.

One explanation for no differences can be the homogeneity of the sample. The other explanation may be the influence of technology on this group of learners, which is commonly called as the net-generation, that is, the generation born between 1977-1997 surrounded by home computers, video games and the internet. The internet has given this generation a new orientation to space and time. They use the internet for leisurely activities, learning and communicating globally. It is not surprising to find students who chat online with friends and simultaneously complete assignments. At the same time, s/he is listening to music and surfing the internet to find new information. This ability to multi-task is a new phenomenon among our learners and, in doing so, new dimensions to life-long learning are being added. The students are less reliant on teachers to provide answers and can explore for themselves newer advances and information in the field.

However, an important development which is creating knowledge out of availabze information and is an important aspect of higher education needs to be further assessed This gives rise to an important factor and that is the ability of faculty to understand differences in students’ learning and the skills to develop and maintain deep approaches. The responsibility lies on the institutions to provide the faculty with adequate resources and training on one hand and to avoid the factors that could lead to the adoption of surface approach (such as a heavy workload, lack of choices and assessment that relies heavily on rewarding surface approach), on the other.

The writer works at the University of Western Australia

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