Assessing learning approaches of Chinese local MBA students: An investigation using the Revised Two-factor Study Process Questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F)

Abstract

This study empirically investigated learning approaches of management graduate students in China. The representative sample consisted of 208 MBA students in a professional accreditation business program in careers, namely the part-time MBA program, provided by Zhejiang University (ZJU) during the 2010/2011 academic year. The instrument used to collect the study data was the Revised Two-factor Study Process Questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F), developed by Biggs et al. (2001). The data was fed into SPSS 16.0 version for analyses using t- test, correlations and ANOVA. There were no significant differences in the scores of the R-SPQ-2F questionnaire between the studied groups (gender and age groups) in the part time MBA program, ZJU. The deep approach to learning was found dominant among the participants regardless their age and gender differences. The results had an outstanding importance, with regard to some earlier studies stereotyping Chinese students as a “rote learners” using knowledge assimilation for the mastery of principles instead of critical analysis. Key words: Chinese local MBA, learning approaches, management graduate students, deep and surface learning approaches.