A cross-cultural study of Chinese and Flemish university students: Do they differ in learning conceptions and approaches to learning?

This paper reports findings with regard to learning conceptions and approaches to learning of Flemish and Chinese students. The Conceptions of Learning Inventory (COLI) and the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST) were administered to first-year university students from China (N = 362) and Flanders (N = 360). The 3-factor model of the ASSIST and a modified 4-factor model of the COLI were fitted across the cultural groups. The results revealed that Chinese students reflected to a greater extent conceptions of learning that stress understanding, personal change and development of social competence as compared to Flemish students. No differences were found with regard to their conception of learning as remembering. Approaches to learning were dependent on the learning context. Correlations between learning conceptions and approaches were identified, with some variations between the two groups. It appears that both cultural and learning contexts need to be considered to understand variables related to student learning.