A STUDY ON THE LEARNING APPROACH OF THE MALAYSIAN ADULT STUDENTS

The purpose of this study is to identify the learning approach of the Malaysian adult students towards their continuing education. The findings of this study indicate that the adult students tend to adopt deep learning approach in their learning process. Test of significant differences reveals that there were no significant group differences in the mean scores of deep learning approach among gender, age group and years of work experience of the respondents. The use of flexible learning and problem-based learning methods were suggested in this study to provide more opportunities to the students to interact with the lecturers on the course material in a more practical and analytical manner. The combination of both flexible learning and problem-based learning method may encourage deep learning approach and most importantly able to transform those adopting surface learning approach to deep learning orientation. In addition, this study also provides recommendation to the higher education institutions to design their teaching and assessment method in such a way that they should not over-emphasized on formal assessment and authority centered. This is to ascertain that adult students’ creativity, autonomy and self-initiative will not be discouraged in their learning process. For future research, this study offers validated measures of learning approach that can be used by future researchers in the similar research setting in Malaysia.