Assessing student approaches to learning

Abstract

The Learning Process Questionnaire (LPQ) and the Study Process Questionnaire (SPQ) are designed to assess the more important motives. strategies and approaches to learning of secondary and tertiary students. respectively. An approach to learning. in line with a metacognitively based theory of student learning is defined as a particular motive for learning that is associated with a congruent strategy. Three such approaches surface, deep, and achieving and one composite approach, deep‐achieving, represent the most important ways in which students consistently approach academic tasks. Norms for each subscale and scale score arc available in deciles, separately for males and females, and in the case of the LPQ, for middle and senior high school, and in that of the SPQ. for CAE and university and for the faculties of arts, education, and science. Some data on the sampling, reliability, and validity are provided, and the use of the instruments in teaching, counseling, and research is discussed briefly.