Concepções de estudantes universitários brasileiros sobre os fatores e as funções da aprendizagem

Abstract

This article presents some results from an investigation that aimed to explore the conceptions of learning of a group of Brazilian university students in light of the phenomenographic theory: the results on their conceptions about the factors and functions of learning. Fifteen students from a psychology course were interviewed on the basis of a semi-structured interview script. Their responses, subjected to a content analysis, showed the assignment of adaptive, cognitive, motivational and interpersonal functions to learning, as well as personal and environmental factors. Results support the replication of part of the conceptions on the factors and functions of learning previously revealed by other phenomenographic studies, as well as the emergence of apparently new conceptions.