Undergraduate Students’ Conceptualizations of and Approaches to Learning

Natural, Computational, Health, and Medicine students in focus

Abstract

Even if the knowledge of students’ conceptualization of and approach to learning significantly affects tertiary education teachers’ choice of teaching methods, there is not much data on these. Hence, this study envisioned studying students’ learning approaches and conceptualizations and the relationship between the two in seventeen different undergraduate programs at the College of Natural and Computational Sciences and the College of Health and Medical Sciences of Arba Minch University, Ethiopia. A descriptive survey design involving N=323 students was employed. The data were collected using the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST). Students’ conceptualizations of learning were compared using an independent sample t-test. Similarly, one-way ANOVA and post hoc were used to see differences in the three types of learning approaches. To decide if there is a difference in learning conceptualizations and learning approaches between the health sciences and natural sciences groups, an independent sample t-test was used along with Cohn’s d. It was discovered that the students had transforming and reproducing learning conceptualizations. Moreover, the students reported adopting the deep and strategic approaches, equally. It was also found that the correlation between the aggregate conceptualizations and learning approaches was positive and significant. Therefore, teachers should help students develop more of a transformative conception of learning. They may also need to support students in adopting an approach that enhances their deep learning.