This book examines conceptions of learning, that is, systematic sets of beliefs concerning learning that people develop. Such beliefs encompass issues such as what learning means, where, when and how it occurs, what happens in our minds while we are learning, and so on. Conceptions of learning are not mere subjective representations, but they play a causal role in the learning/teaching processes. In fact, it has been shown that the quality of the learning outcomes and the approaches to the learning tasks, as well as the general level of school achievement, are related to the students' conceptions of learning.