Comparing the Conceptions of learning and Study Habits between Talented and Normal Students

The aim of this study was comparing the conceptions of learning and study habits between talented and normal students. This research was descriptive and causal-comparative. The population included the wholetalented and normal students in Shiraz University in the academic year of 2010-2011 among them 242 students (141talented and 141normal) were selected through purposeful sampling method. These students completed Conceptions of Learning andStudy Habits Questionnaires. The analysis of datausing MANOVA showed that there was no significant difference between talented and normal students in totalconceptions of learning (p> 0.05). In spite of this, the average score of normal students in two subscales (learning as gaining information and learning as remembering and using information) was significantly higher than talented students (p< 0.05). The average score of talented students in three subscales (learning as personal change, learning as a process that is not limited to time and space and learning as the development of social competence) was significantly higher thannormal students (p< 0.01). And there was no significant difference between talented and normal students inlearning as a duty subscale (p> 0.05). Moreover the analysis of data using MANOVA showed that there was a significant difference between talented and normal students in study habits (p< 0.01). Also the results revealed that in the five subscales of study habits the score of talented students was significantly higher than normal students (p< 0.01) and there was no significant difference between talented and normal students inthe three subscales of memory, exams and health (p>0.05). It is recommended that teaching and learning become more practical so that the study habitsimprove.