The relationships between learning approaches, personality and academic success: school leavers versus nonschool leavers

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between approaches to learning, personality, and academic success in a sample of 177 first-year psychology students. Most of the students (n = 144; 81.4%) were first-year tertiary students (school leavers); 33 students (18.6%) had more than one-year tertiary experience (nonschool leavers). The students were enrolled either on-campus or via distance education at the University of Southern Queensland and completed an online survey for course credit. Academic achievement was measured as grade point average (GPA). This paper will report the relationships among the key variables. Univariate analyses of variance showed that nonschool leavers obtained higher GPAs and scored higher on the Deep and Strategic learning approaches than did school leavers. Conversely, school leavers scored higher on the Surface approach to learning. A regression analysis showed that the Strategic approach predicted GPA. None of the five personality traits were related to academic achievement. However, Intellect and Conscientiousness were each found to predict the Deep approach to learning; Conscientiousness was found to predict the Strategic approach to learning; and Emotional Stability and Intellect were each found to predict the Surface approach to learning. The implications of these findings are discussed.