The Validity of ASSIST as a Measurement of Learning Approach among MDAB Students

Establishing the reliability and validity of the ASSIST questionnaire: a South African sample perspective

“…In this regard, it is argued that students' awareness of their learning environment is related to their approach to learning (Abedina et al, 2013;Trigwell, Prosser, & Waterhouse, 1999). Tied to this, it is pointed out that a student's choice of approach is influenced by the content, the context and the demands of particular learning activities (Price, et al, 2011).…”

“…The aim of surface learning approach is to cope with the task which leads to rote learning and memorisation (Abedina, et al, 2013;Price, et al, 2011). In order for students to work with more complex principles or apply deep learning principles, students first need to try to grasp more basic principles which require them to memorise and remember.…”

“…Felder and Brent (2005) argue that student who employ surface approach to learning tend to memorise facts, do not fit them into context and they aim for routine solution methods without attempting to understand their original and limitation. It has been stated that students following the surface learning approach often learn to remember facts, identify aspects and focus on what they were taught (Abedina et al, 2013;Warren, 2004).Regarding this, it has been stated that these students face the challenge in forming a bigger picture and aiming at reproducing the knowledge (Hailikari & Parpala, 2014). Surface learners have a reproductive conception of learning and are extrinsically motivated mostly by the results (Roblyer, McDaniel, Webb, Herman, & Witty, 2010).…”

“…Researchers such as (Biggs, 1987;Entwistle, McCune & Trait, 2006;Entwistle, 1996;Martin & Säljö 1976) are amongst the first researchers to strategise the students approach to learning, the quality of their learning outcomes and their prior experiences. Several studies (Abedina, Jaafarb, Husainc, & Abdullahd, 2013) continuously provide constant evidence that individual differences in how students approach learning exist such as deep, strategic and surface (Gadelrab, 2011;Teixeira, Gomes, & Borges, 2013;Venkatesh, Croteau, & Rabah, 2014). It is pointed out that in order to obtain high-quality learning outcome (Buckley, Pitt, Norton & Owens, 2010), lecturers require to understand student learning, specifically how students adjust their learning tasks, their aims and strategies, and how these influence the quality of their learning outcomes (Martin & Säljö, 1976).…”

“…The deep learning approach is about learning the facts in relation to concepts and it includes monitoring the development of one's own understanding (Entwistle, et al, 2006;Price, et al, 2011). Mogashana, Case and Marshall (2012) ;Abedina, et al, (2013) pointed out that the major motivation in Establishing the reliability and validity of the ASSIST questionnaire: a South African sample perspective strategic approach is achieving rather than ideas and interest (deep approach) or fear of failure (surface approach). Hailikari and Parpala (2014) and Duff (2004) argue that students in surface learning approach often learn to remember facts, identify and focus on what they were thought.…”