Exploring learning approaches and self-efficacy among design students in Taiwan

Extensive research has highlighted the significant impact of students’ approaches to learning and self-efficacy on academic achievement. It has been suggested that deep learning approaches, high self-efficacy, and strong academic performance are crucial for developing undergraduates’ intentions to engage in sustainable lifelong learning after graduation. However, the interrelationships between students’ approaches to learning and self-efficacy within the context of design education remain underexplored. This study addresses this gap by investigating how students’ approaches to learning design are related to and predict their learning design self-efficacy. Two validated questionnaires were developed to assess these constructs: Approaches to Learning Design (ALD) and Self-Efficacy in Learning Design (SELD). The study involved 296 university students majoring in design. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) confirmed the validity and reliability of both questionnaires, identifying eight ALD and three SELD subscales. Additionally, partial least squares structural equation (PLS-SEM) modeling demonstrated that students’ deep learning approaches strongly predict their learning design self-efficacy, while surface learning approaches, such as Fear of failure, negatively predict self-efficacy. This study offers valuable insights into the relationship between students’ approaches to learning and self-efficacy in design education, with important implications for enhancing classroom interactions and assessment practices.