Abstract
This article examines differences in reported approaches to studying and course perceptions of students in British universities and polytechnics. Hypotheses about these differences derived from the functions and characteristics of the two sets of institutions are compared with data from a questionnaire survey of 1903 university students and 305 polytechnic students. The results, adjusted for subject area differences, indicate that contrary to expectation the university group are less likely than the polytechnic group to use deep approaches to studying. The two groups report similar patterns of study organisation. The university students experience somewhat poorer teaching. The polytechnic students are more interested in gaining qualifications for employment and perceive their courses to be clearly to this end. The results are considered in relation to further research into student learning patterns and implications for the binary system of higher education.
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The survey reported in this paper was carried out as part of an SSRC-funded research programme while the author was a member of the Institute for Research & Development in Post-Compulsory Education, University of Lancaster.
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Ramsden, P. Institutional variations in British students' approaches to learning and experiences of teaching. High Educ 12, 691–705 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00132425
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00132425