Approaches to learning and competitive attitude in students in higher education

Cassidy, SF

Abstract

The degree to which individuals are able to nominate or change their approach to learning in order to meet
the needs of the learning situation opens a lengthy and complex debate. Some evidence exists for a shift in
approach depending on the experience of the learner and demands of the task, while other evidence is available
which indicates stability of approach to learning over time and across task. The present study examines
the relationship between approaches to learning and competitive attitude in undergraduate students.
Previous research has reported a link between constructs such as achievement orientation and personality
traits and cognitive strategies and it was suggested here that competitive attitude may be one mediating
factor in students’ approaches to learning. Findings did not reveal a convincing relationship between
competitiveness and approaches to learning and it is suggested that further exploration of trait constructs
such as competitiveness may not yield meaningful evidence regarding the stability of students’ approaches
to learning. There was also no evidence that the student experience of higher education cultivates competitiveness
in students as cross-sectional comparisons of student year groups revealed only negligible and statistically
non-significant differences in competitive attitude.

Citation

Cassidy, S. (2008). Approaches to learning and competitive attitude in students in higher education. Education Section review - British Psychological Society, 32(1), 18-27

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Mar 1, 2008
• Deposit Date: Jan 28, 2011
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 5, 2016
• Journal: The Psychology of Education Review
• Print ISSN: 0262-4087
• Publisher: The British Psychological Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 32
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 18-27