Learning in a web-based system in medical education.

New learning environments such as distance education and computer-aided instruction promise to bring a change in today's learning environments by adjusting the relationship between the learner, the educational content and the organization of education. In this study, we explored whether students' approaches to learning related to their perception of a particular virtual learning environment. Scales of the ASSIST questionnaire were loaded in a two-principal component solution, surface and deep-strategic. We found statistically significant correlations between the approaches to learning and the student's attitudes towards ICT. Early identification of approaches to learning and attitudes towards ICT may prove to be important in order to provide assistance to aid the transition of students with diverse individual characteristics and to the design of new learning environments.