ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at teaching from the learners perspective and asks what aspects of teaching contribute to effective and high quality learning. It introduces a coherent set of concepts derived from research on student learning, carried out mainly in Europe and Australasia. The chapter explores student characteristics in terms of psychological constructs. It provides a discussion on intellectual traits, personality and motivation, and work habits of students. Differences in personality and motivation have been found in interviews with students and seemed to have influenced their study methods and even their perception of higher education. The chapter also looks at the concepts derived from the characteristics and experiences of students and at the way teaching and institutional policy and practice may influence the quality of student learning. In higher education, in particular, much of a students learning takes place in private, through the effort to make sense of new ideas and to develop and practice new skills.
