Learning in Science: A Comparison of Deep and Surface Approaches

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore in greater depth what has been called by previous researchers, a deep versus surface approach to learning science. Six Grade 8 students judged as typically using learning approaches ranging from deep to surface were observed and taped during class group laboratory activities in a chemistry unit. They were also interviewed individually before and after instruction about related science concepts. On analysis of the students' discourse and actions during the activities and their interview responses, several differences in learning approaches seemed apparent. These differences fell into five emergent categories: generative thinking, nature of explanations, asking questions, metacognitive activity, and approach to tasks. When students used a deep approach, they ventured their ideas more spontaneously; gave more elaborate explanations which described mechanisms and cause-effect relationships or referred to personal experiences; asked questions which focused on explanations and causes, predictions, or resolving discrepancies in knowledge; and engaged in "on-line theorizing." Students using a surface approach gave explanations that were reformulations of the questions, a "black box" variety which did not refer to a mechanism, or macroscopic descriptions which referred only to what was visible. Their questions also referred to more basic factual or procedural information. The findings also suggest that to encourage a deep learning approach, teachers could provide prompts and contextualized scaffolding and encourage students to ask questions, predict, and explain during activities. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 37: 2000 Some students are more successful than others in learning science. This may be due to differences in the way students learn-whether it is meaningful or rote learning (Ausubel, 1968). Meaningful learning requires relevant prior knowledge, meaningful learning tasks, and a meaningful learning set (Novak, 1988). In contrast, rote learning is arbitrary, verbatim, and not related to experience with events or objects, and lacks affective commitment on the part of the learner to relate new and prior knowledge. The nature of students' learning-that is, meaningful or rote-is related to the construct "approaches to learning." JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING VOL. 37, NO. 2, PP. 109-138 (2000) © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.Correspondence to: C. Chin Approaches to LearningApproaches to learning or learning approaches refer to "the ways in which students go about their academic tasks, thereby affecting the nature of the learning outcome" (Biggs, 1994). Research on approaches to learning derives much from the seminal work of Marton and Saljo (1976) on reading from text using phenomenographic methods, where learning is studied from the perspective of the learner, based on qualitative analysis of interview data and descriptive analyses of differences between the learning behaviors of small numbers of students. These authors distinguished betw...

Exploring the Impact of Students’ Learning Approach on Collaborative Group Modeling of Blood Circulation

“…A number of researchers have tried to investigate practices in the learning process in terms of individual characteristics, and especially learning approaches, with a view to explaining the variable levels of academic achievement among students (Biggs 1993;Cano 2005;Case and Gunstone 2002;Chiou et al 2012Chiou et al , 2013Entwistle 1981;Säljö 1979). Although researchers have proposed many different types of learning approach, a differentiation between deep and surface learning approaches is the most common (Biggs 1993;Entwistle 1981;Case and Gunstone 2002;Chin and Brown 2000). The features that distinguish these two approaches are learning motivation and learning strategies (Biggs 1993).…”

“…Among those factors, learning approaches will be revealed through students' statements and these can be a critical element in determining the success of group learning in the science classroom (Chin and Brown 2000). Learning approach refers to the students' tendencies or attitudes as he or she solves learning tasks, and whether he or she attempts to understand associated concepts and relationships (Entwistle 1981).…”

“…However, little research has been conducted to explore how an individual student's learning approach affects group learning processes. Students who use deep learning approaches place emphasis on explanation, and on the generation of spontaneous thinking, attempting to evaluate and control their learning processes through reflective thinking (Chin and Brown 2000). Hence, it is possible that small-group modeling will be influenced by cognitive interactions among students who have different learning approaches.…”

Investigation of Creativity in Physics in the Context of Learning in Association with Deep Approach to Study

“…A deep learner, in science learning, is found to perform the activities as: generating multiple ideas, elaborating explanations, resolving discrepancies in knowledge, recognizing a problem etc (Chin and Brown, 2000). These activities are close to flexibility, elaboration and problem recognition respectively; which are the factors and abilities related to creativity in physics.…”

“…Particularly in learning science, Chin and Brown (2000) investigated activities performed by deep learners. Approaches to Study Inventory (ASI) were employed.…”