Relationship Between Learning Quality and Learning Approaches of High School Students on the Subject of Chemistry

Abstract

Students’ learning approaches and teachers’ teaching styles have significant impacts on students’ learning quality. It is important to study the relationship between students’ learning quality and learning approaches. In this research study, the students’ learning quality is defined by the SOLO (Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome) of students’ learning results; and learning approaches are categorized into surface level, deep level, and achievement level. Students from selected high schools participated in the study. Data on students’ learning approaches were obtained through a survey using the “Students Learning Process Questionnaire.” After the survey, the SOLO tests on high school “chemistry reaction principles” were given to the same students. Correlation analysis were conducted to find out the relations between student learning approaches and learning quality. It was found that most students use deep- and achievement-level learning approaches; much fewer students use the surface-level learning approach. Statistically, student learning quality was significantly correlated with achievement- and deep-level learning approaches. Students at higher levels of SOLO structure tend to adopt deep-level learning approaches. From these results, we recommend that during teaching, it is effective for teachers to guide students toward deep- and achievement-level learning approaches.