IS RELIGION INDEPENDENT OF STUDENTS’ APPROACHES TO LEARNING?

In the advancement of our understanding of the nature and development of student learning, learning approaches (LA) take centre stage, usually differentiated (Biggs, 2001) as Surface (SA), Deep (DA) and Achieving (AA). These styles are conditioned by aspects of the context and the student, but religion has not been studied. This study was designed ex post facto using correlation, discrimination and regression analysis, and its results indicated an association between religion and LA. DA was associated with an experience of and interest in spirituality. However, SA and AA were related to measurements of religious orientation and beliefs. Existential wellbeing was inversely related to deep approaches and positively to surface and achieving approaches. Religion showed a limited capacity to discriminate among different LAs.