Authors:
D. Oliveira
1
;
G. Esgalhado
2
;
D. Oliveira
1
and
N. M. Garcia
3
Affiliations:
1
Instituto de Telecomunicações, Portugal
;
2
University of Beira Interior, Portugal
;
3
University of Beira Interior and Instituto de Telecomunicações, Portugal
Keyword(s):
Learning Approaches, Study Processes Questionnaire, Psychometric Study.
Related
Ontology
Subjects/Areas/Topics:
Computer-Supported Education
;
Learning/Teaching Methodologies and Assessment
Abstract:
Background: The assessment of the study processes or approaches to learning more often used by college
students as they are understood by Biggs and his collaborators is considered fundamental in providing tools
to better understand the way students learn and how this should be taken into account by tutors and teachers.
The choice of a deep approach to learning as opposed to a surface approach is often considered connected to
a more significant learning. Aim: This research aimed to adapt and validate the Revised Two Factor Study
Process Questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F) (Biggs et al., 2001). for the Portuguese college student population.
Method: A population of 707 college students and internet users was used. From these 241 were male and
466 female. The participants’ age varied between 18 and 40 years old (M= 22.96; SD = 4.41). The inclusion
criteria used for the study was: (1) being Portuguese and studying in a Portuguese university, and (2)
willingness to participate in the study after lear
ning its objectives. Participants were recruited through two
sampling methods: (1) Informal social networks. The eligible internet users who agreed to participate were
asked to refer their friends to participate in the study; and (2) The Internet. Material: Two instruments were
used in this assessment, a socio-demographic questionnaire to enable the characterization of the
participants’ age, gender, degree and University/college attendance and the Revised Two Factor Study
Process Questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F) (Biggs et al., 2001). Results: The final Portuguese version has a total of
16 items, instead of the 20 items proposed by the original version. A principal components factor analysis
with varimax orthogonal rotation revealed a two factor structure, consistent with other researches using the
instrument but not confirming the four factor structure found in the original version. In this version factor I -
deep approach to learning, has a 9 items scope, and includes deep motives and deep strategies (α=.783),
with an explained variance of 20.463%; factor II - surface approach to learning has a 7 items scope, includes
surface motives and surface strategies (α=.751) and an explained variance of 16.544%. Deep and surface
approaches were analysed separately in relation to age gender and academic degree, and in all cases
significant statistical differences were found. Conclusion: The study provided evidence of the reliability and
validity of the instrument, which showed good psychometric characteristics. The results indicate the
Portuguese Revised Study Processes Questionnaire is an acceptable measure of learning approaches.
Authors like [2] consider that when students are confronted with a learning task, they use the learning
strategy that corresponds with their motivation to learn, in which case, it is important to analyse whether
students are opting more frequently for deep or surface approaches and act upon that knowledge in a
continuous effort to improve the learning process.
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