Perceived Academic Quality and Approaches to Studying: a UK Experience

Recent research on student learning in higher education has shown an increasing interest in exploring associations between variations in students? perceived academic quality and variations in their study behaviour. There is, however, a surprising paucity of research into business students? learning experience. The present study, therefore, aimed to add to prior research by examining the relationship between students? perceived academic quality and their approaches to studying in a UK business school context. Consistent with previous research, the present study found that students who rated their courses positively were more likely to adopt a deep/strategic approach, whereas those who rated their courses negatively were more likely to adopt a surface approach. Pedagogically, the present results suggest that students? accounts of their perceptions of academic quality will complement their accounts of their approaches to studying in illuminating the nature of their learning experience.