Study of Student Learning Approach in Two Different Subjects on the Same Year

Abstract

Biggs' R-SPQ-2F questionnaire has been widely used since its release in 2001 to assess the student approach to learning, identifying two main approaches: Deep and Surface Approaches. The results of the questionnaire help to evaluate the teaching system as students' approach to learning depends, among other factors, on the current teaching context and therefore, it is not a fixed quality of the learner. Based on this, the approaches of 74 first-year students of the Degree in Biotechnology at Universitat Politècnica de València have been analysed under two different teaching frames: a first-term subject in Genetics and a second-term subject in Business Economics. Although some students maintain their approach to learning, differences between both subjects have been found significant for the main scales and most of the secondary ones, although not for language used as medium of instruction or gender. The item reliability analysis showed a high consistency for the main scales, but not for the secondary scales of the questionnaire. These data contribute to reinforce the theory that students stablish a learning approach according to the demands of the subject and context and modify their approach to learning.