ABSTRACT
Over the last few decades, a lot of research effort has been invested in exploring how students learn in higher education, what factors influence these processes, and whether these processes evolve over time or not. This research stems from a variety of research traditions (Biggs, 1993; Entwistle & McCune, 2004) and has evolved in different directions. The research field of interest here is that of the ‘Students’ Approaches to Learning’ tradition (the SAL-tradition). Research in this tradition generally focuses on how students perceive their own study processes or learning strategies (Biggs, 2001; Schmeck, 1988). Some of the internationally acclaimed models in this tradition are based on the work by John Biggs and colleagues (Biggs, 2003) or by Noël Entwistle and colleagues (Entwistle & Ramsden, 1983), and more recently the framework on learning patterns developed by Jan Vermunt and colleagues (Vermunt & Verloop, 1999; Vermunt & Vermetten, 2004).
