Approaches to studying and students' use of a computer supported learning environment

Abstract

Although studies of students’ study approaches in face to face learning environments are commonplace, studies investigating the role of students’ study approaches in online learning environments is currently a less explored area. This paper presents the findings of a survey aimed at investigating the relationship between students’ approaches to studying and their perceptions and use of a computer-supported learning environment in e-business and e-commerce. Participants in the study were a group of post-graduate students studying an E-Business and E-Commerce module. The ASSIST inventory is used to identify the main study approaches within the population. Descriptive statistics of the responses to the inventory confirm the validity and consistency of the results, while a factor analysis identified two main study approaches within the population, a ‘deep-strategic’ and a ‘surface-strategic’ study approach. Positive correlations were found (i) between WebCT and two aspects of a deep and one aspect of a strategic approach and (ii) between the E-Business and E-Commerce CSLE and two aspects of a strategic approach and one aspect of a surface approach. The paper concludes with suggestions for future research investigating study approaches in online learning environments.