Abstract:

Teaching and assessment methodology are one of the contextual and perceived factors that influence student’s approach to learning in a subject. These aspects are within the teacher domains and can be modified to improve the performance of the student and to increase the student’s deep approach to learning. The approach to learning can be measured with some questionnaires like the R-SPQ-2F questionnaire. The questionnaire can be used in different moments of the subject to measure evolution along the subject and assess the result of the different teaching and assessment methodologies used. In the present communication the students’ approach to learning of students of an elective subject of the last year of the bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology was assessed using the R-SPQ-2F questionnaire at the beginning and the end of the subject during two consecutive years. The students showed a higher deep approach than surface approach in both years and no differences were observed regarding the gender of the student. The values at the beginning and the end of the subject were similar indicating that the teaching and assessment methodology maintained the initial deep approach of the students. High correlations were observed between the main scales and their related subscales of the questionnaire and high internal consistency was observed for the main scales, supporting the existence of two main scales (deep and surface) as shown in previous studies. The teaching and assessment methodology used in the subject seems adequate but new methodologies can be implemented to improve deep approach of the students.

Keywords:

R-SPQ-2F questionnaire, deep and surface approach, assessment, teaching methodologies.