An Examination of Reflective Thinking, Learning Approaches, and Self-Efficacy Beliefs at the University of the South Pacific: A path analysis approach

Abstract

This study examined the causal and mediating relations between students’ learning approaches, self-efficacy beliefs, stages of reflective thinking, and academic performance. Second-year undergraduate students (n = 241; 118 females, 123 males) in the South Pacific were administered the revised version of Biggs' Study Process Questionnaire, the Reflective Thinking Questionnaire, and the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire. Latent variables analysis indicated that a surface learning approach contributed to the prediction of habitual action, and a deep learning approach predicted understanding and self-efficacy. Self-efficacy directly predicted the stages of reflective thinking, with the exception of critical thinking, and understanding negatively predicted academic performance. Finally, with the exception of critical thinking, the stages of reflective thinking were found to relate causally in a unidimensional manner.