Comparisons of Learning Strategies Used by Different Chinese-background Students at Australian Universities

Abstract

'Learning strategy' refers to methods that students use to learn. According to the theories in the OECD Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), learning strategies consist of memorization, elaboration, organizational, affect and control strategy. Although numerous studies have examined Chinese-background students' approaches to learning or learning experiences in western educational settings, very few comparative studies have shed light on the identification of differences in learning strategy between Chinese background students with different nationalities or ethnicities, i.e., from mainland China, Malaysia, Singapore, and Hong Kong. The vast majority of research carried out on the learning approaches of students with Confucian Heritage Culture (CHC) has regarded them as a homogeneous group and has not acknowledged the different ethnicities that are present among them. This paper aims to uncover learning strategies used by different Chinese nationals in Australian tertiary education with a view to enhancing their learning efficiency and informing approaches to Australian course design and delivery. This study also continues the exploration of Chinese-background student approaches to study, in light of such a debate in which Chinese-background students are regarded as rote learners.