Surface or Deep Approach to Learning

There are different understandings about learning. While the surface approach to learning just leads to superficial memorization of information, deep approach to learning allows students to engage in the course in a meaningful way, comprehend the theory and be able to apply the knowledge in practice (Biggs and Tag, 2007). In the two courses that I have been teaching (Buyer Behaviour and Service Quality), the students are required to take both surface and deep approach to learning. This essay is to reflect on my own teaching to see when my students engage in a deep approach and when they involve in a surface one.

There are examples of when my students are only required to take a surface approach to learning. In most of my lectures, I try to arrange some time for my students to review what they study in previous lessons. This may be conducted in the oral form when I ask some questions in front of the class and quickly pick some students to answer. Sometimes the revision takes place in the form of a written quiz for the whole class. In those cases I just require my students to give me the “right” answers. That means they just need to memorize the definition of some certain concepts (e.g. post-purchase dissonance, surrogate indicators, rate fences…), their characteristics and are be able to distinguish different types of those. That helps the students to recall the theories they study but I do not know if they will be able to apply those theories into a real business context.

Besides, my students are regularly asked to apply deeper approach to learning. Usually in the end of my lectures, I give students a case study to discuss in groups. The questions in the case study require them to apply their critical thinking skill into the specific context. They need not only to understand the concept but also be able to relate the knowledge with a specific situation of a company or a brand mentioned in the case. Moreover, the students are required to apply a much deeper...