How a Student's Learning Style can Relate to Academic Achievement

One of the most important aspects of academic development is providing studies

and research to identify and analyse learning styles and recognise how these different

learning styles could successfully support students’ successes in the different

academic environments. Burden (1994) observes that there are a number of factors

generates the differences of learning styles which significantly influence the

learners’ results in varied academic environments. This essay will discuss these

different learning approaches and how some of their effects could positively

influence students’ results in a variety of academic contexts. In particular, the

discussion will be on impacts of the deep and surface learning methods and effects of

the external and internal centers of control on learners’ performances to realize

academic success.

While most studies show that external motivation and surface learning

negatively influence academic success (Biggs 1985, p. 594), some assert the

importance of surface method in particular academic contexts. Most students who

prefer to utilise a surface method to learning have been significantly affected by

extrinsic orientation to centre of control (Biggs 1985). In fact, Biggs (1987) states

that surface learners depend on using rote memory learning method; hence, they

encounter some difficulties with recognising concepts through examples and

understanding materials. Biggs (1985) confirms that rote memory learning style

makes less effort and a decrease of motivation leading to negative response to

academic environment. In contrast, the ability of collecting information and

memorising them is considered in some East A...

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Biggs, J 1987, Student Approaches to Learning and Studying, Melbourne: Australian Council for Educational Research.

Burden, R 1994, Trends and Developments in Educational Psychology: An International Perspective, School Psychology International, no. 15, pp. 239-374

Kishor, N 1983, ‘Locus of Control and Academic Achievement’, Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, no. 14, pp. 297-308.

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Asia, Department of Mathematics, East China Normal University, China, viewed 21 october 2005, < www.math.admu.edu.ph/tsg22/Zhang.html>