What Do Students Think "Learning" is and How Do They Do It? A cross-cultural comparison

Abstract

This study examines differences between Australian and Japanese secondary school students' conceptions of learning and their use of self-regulated learning strategies. For a variety of reasons, there is an increasing number of overseas students, particularly from south-east Asian countries, who are being educated in Australian schools. Differences in schooling and cultural traditions lead to different understandings of what learning actually is and to the strategies students use to regulate their own learning. If educators are to cater successfully for students from other cultures, it is important to develop a better understanding of differences in the ways in which students conceive of learning and how they go about doing it. In one sense, a major finding of the study confirms the stereotypical view of Japanese students as rote memorizers. On the other hand, it is the Australian students who are found to have a narrow, school-based view of learning. The Japanese students view