Table 3.

Characteristics of students with a surface-learning approach

Students with a surface-learning approach: Memorize facts for assessments without attempting to understand meaning Accumulate unrelated facts and treat related parts separately Reproduce essentials as accurately as possible Show no evidence of reflection on purpose or strategy Find an answer to a problem without grasping the underlying issues or principles illustrated by the problem Meet demands of task with minimum of effort Are motivated by a desire to complete task or fear for failure