This study reports on the student experience of learning through writing in an undergraduate science subject. During their writing experience, 52 first year university science students used a writing database, bulletin board and word-processor. Using quantitative questionnaires developed from student learning research, this study investigates the quality of the approaches adopted by students to the use of the technologies and how this related to the quality of their whole experience and performance measures. The results show that students who adopted a surface or reproductive approach tended to achieve relatively poorer learning outcomes and lower performance measures than students who adopted approaches which reflected understanding. The findings have important implications for teachers introducing technologies into writing processes for the purpose of improving students' learning outcomes.