Goal-oriented active learning (GOAL) system to promote reading engagement, self-directed learning behavior, and motivation in extensive reading

Self-directed learning (SDL) ability, its usefulness in higher education and life-long learning have been highlighted in previous literature. However, there has been much less understanding of the effects of SDL ability in the school settings, specifically the effects on learners’ SDL behaviors and processes. To address this limitation, this study investigated the relations between SDL ability, SDL behaviors, and reading outcomes and further explored the process of planning behaviors in SDL. This study examined the context of SDL for extensive reading using a goal-oriented active learning system, GOAL. The results showed that the high SDL ability students demonstrated significantly more reading outcomes in terms of books completed and the number of days read than those with low SDL ability. The high SDL ability students engaged significantly more in planning behaviors, that were found to be significantly correlated with reading outcomes, than the low SDL ability students. Cluster analysis and transition analysis also differentiate groups of learners with different planning behaviors. These findings suggested that the learning behaviors and outcomes facilitated by the environment were affected to varying degrees by the levels of students’ SDL ability, and personalized feedback can be created using the SDL behavioral variables and patterns in the environment.

Objectives This study aimed to examine the structural relationships among self-directed learning, self-directed English learning ability, learning satisfaction and academic achievement, and to analyze the differences in learning performance according to academic self-efficacy in online college English classes. Methods A web-based survey was conducted on 172 students who took English classes in the first and second semesters of 2021 at N University. The data were analyzed with SPSS 23.0 and AMOS 21.0. For the moderating effect of students' academic self-efficacy, a multi-group analysis of structural equations was used. Results The results were as follows: First, self-directed learning had a positive effect on the self-directed English learning ability. Second, the two factors, self-directed learning ability and self-directed English learning ability, had a positive effect on learning satisfaction, but only self-directed English learning ability had a significant effect on academic achievement. Third, a multi-group analysis for the moderating effect verified that students with high academic efficacy showed a significant effect on academic achievement. Conclusions It is meaningful that the effect of autonomous learning of college students on self-directed learning ability of English subjects was statistically verified. Based on the results of the study, it is suggested that the method to improve the self-directedness and academic self-efficacy of learners should be sought properly.

Self‐direction has become an important skill in the 21st century. To cultivate learners with a high level of self‐direction, it is necessary to diagnose their self‐directed learning (SDL) ability. This study diagnosed and predicted learners' SDL ability based on their actual SDL behaviours. The study was performed in a self‐directed 3D design class lasting 90 minutes. A total of 193 middle school students participated in the study. The results of the Pearson correlation analysis (p < 0.001) showed that the reported perception of SDL ability was significantly correlated with SDL behaviours. The results of the hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis showed that the SDL behaviours explained 84.9% of the variance in SDL ability (adjusted R2 = 0.849, p < 0.001). Therefore, SDL behaviours had significant predictive effects on the reported perception of SDL ability. Moreover, based on the random forest algorithm, the study built an SDL ability prediction model with high performance (accuracy = 0.83, precision = 0.82, recall = 0.84) using SDL behaviours as features. The study provides evidence for the design of effective strategies to enhance SDL ability and promote SDL behaviours.Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic To cultivate learners with a high level of self‐direction, it is necessary to diagnose their self‐directed learning (SDL) ability. SDL is a combination of internal personal attributes and external autonomous behaviours. Few studies have focused on diagnosing SDL ability based on learners' external SDL behaviours occurring during the learning process. What this paper adds The reported perception of SDL ability was significantly correlated with SDL behaviours. SDL behaviours had significant predictive effects on the reported perception of SDL ability. Based on the random forest algorithm, the study built an SDL ability prediction model with high performance using SDL behaviours as features. Implications for practice and/or policy The findings indicate that instructors could design effective strategies to promote SDL behaviours for the purpose of enhancing learners' SDL ability. The method and process of building an SDL ability prediction model might provide a reference for related research on ability prediction with behaviours.

BackgroundPrevious research has demonstrated that nursing students’ professional commitment is less than ideal. However, a clear theoretical model to explain or mediate the factors influencing their professional commitment is currently lacking. Building on Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), this study aimed to describe the current situation regarding the professional commitment of undergraduate nursing students and examine its relationships with psychological resilience, medical education environment, innovation ability, and self-directed learning ability.MethodsA total of 813 undergraduate nursing students were recruited through convenience sampling for a cross-sectional study at a medical university in Anhui province. Participants completed the General Information Questionnaire, Professional Commitment Scale, Innovation Ability Scale, Self-Directed Learning Ability Scale, Psychological Resilience Scale, and Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM). Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the hypothesized relationships.ResultsNursing students’ total professional commitment score averaged 93.36 ± 13.63. Medical education environment, self-directed learning ability, and innovation ability all significantly and directly associated with professional commitment (β = 0.294, β = 0.167, β = 0.358, respectively). Self-directed learning and innovation ability mediated the effects of psychological resilience (β = 0.114, 0.054, respectively) and the medical education environment (β = 0.089, 0.063, respectively) on professional commitment. Additionally, self-directed learning and innovation ability exhibited a significant chain mediating effect between psychological resilience and the influence of medical education environment on professional commitment (β = 0.114, 0.054, respectively).ConclusionsOur study reveals that self-directed learning and innovation ability mediate the effects of psychological resilience and educational environment on nursing students’ professional commitment.These findings suggest nursing educators could focus on fostering students’ self-directed learning abilities in teaching and enhancing students’ professional commitment by optimizing the educational environment and strengthening mental toughness training.

This is one in a series of articles that reported on geography teachers’ self-directed learning (SDL) abilities, participation in self-directed professional development (SDPD) activities and the use of learner-centred instructional strategies in their classrooms. Geography teachers must act as self-directed learners through participating in SDPD activities to improve instructional practices. This study investigates the relationships between geography teachers’ SDL abilities, their participation in SDPD activities and the use of learner-centred instruction in geography classrooms. A non-experimental survey design was employed. FET phase geography teachers (n = 130) from two districts in the North West province completed three instruments, namely the SDL abilities instrument, the ‘Self-directed professional development activities in geography education’ (SDPDGE), and the ‘Instructional strategies in geography education’ (ISGE) questionnaires developed by the researcher. The researcher conducted Spearman rho tests to calculate Spearman correlation coefficients to determine the relationships between geography teachers’ SDL abilities, their participation in SDPD and their implementation of learner-centred instructional strategies. The analysis of the results reported strong positive relationships between geography teachers’ SDL abilities and their involvement in SDPD activities, as well as between their involvement in SDPD activities and the implementation of learner-centred instructional strategies in their geography classrooms.

Objectives This study aimed to investigate the structural relationships among instructor-student interaction, self-directed English learning ability, task value influencing learning satisfaction and to analyze the mediating effects among them in online college English class. Methods To achieve this goal, the structural equation modeling was conducted and the mediating effect was verified by using bootstrapping method based on the web-survey questionnaire data of 203 members of online English class. Results The results were as follows: the structural relationship among the variables was established except learning satisfaction. Second, self-directed English learning ability and task value had a direct effect on learning satisfaction. Third, instructor-student interaction had an indirect effect on learning satisfaction through learners' self-directed learning ability and task value respectively. Conclusions The result suggests that instructor-student interaction, self-directed English learning ability, task value should be improved to increase L2 learners' learning satisfaction in the online English class environment.

The main purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between adult students' self-directed learning (SDL) ability and instructional technology (IT) competency in an online course. The study also investigated motivation and learning strategies that the students used to learn IT. The research involved surveying 198 continuing education professionals who took online courses at a large Midwest state university. The results indicate a statistically significant positive correlation between SDL ability and IT competency in students with above average SDL ability. The results also indicate that motivation is an important factor for learning technology in an online course regardless of the students' SDL ability. Additionally, the results show that students with higher level of SDL ability are likely to exhibit higher level of self-efficacy for learning and performance, and higher level of effort regulation.

ObjectivesThis study explores the relationship between the perception of the learning environment and self-directed learning (SDL) ability among nursing undergraduates.Design, setting and participantsA cross-sectional study was conducted in December 2020...

Hybrid problem-based learning (hPBL) may promote the ability of students to learn independently. This paper explores the impact of hPBL on preservice Technology teachers’ self-directed learning (SDL) abilities. In this case study, a mixed-methods research design was used. The self-directed learning instrument (SDLI) developed by Cheng and colleagues was used to collect quantitative data. For the qualitative data observations, semi-structured individual interviews and self-reflective journals of preservice Technology teachers were used to give more meaning to the quantitative results. In this study, hPBL had positive influences on preservice Technology teachers’ SDL abilities. Employing hPBL had a slightly positive impact on ‘planning and implementation’ as an SDL sub-domain. The preservice teachers’ self-monitoring abilities increased statistically significantly. In addition, the hPBL intervention contributed to a slight improvement in the interpersonal communication abilities of these preservice Technology teachers. It is recommended that hPBL be implemented in larger classes in Technology Education, as well as in longitudinal studies to determine the long-term impact of hPBL on preservice teachers’ SDL abilities.

Purpose : This study seeks to examine the effects of using flipped learning in fundamentals of nursing classes on self-directed learning ability, problem-solving ability, and class satisfaction among nursing students. Methods : A one-group pretest-posttest design was utilized with the participants, involving 62 nursing students. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired t-test using SPSS/WIN 24.0. Results : The scores on self-directed learning and problem-solving abilities significantly increased after flipped learning classes (t＝6.93, p＜.001; t＝ 16.49, p＜.001, respectively). Students’ class satisfaction was lower than 3.5 at 3.38 points. Conclusion : The findings indicate that flipped learning is an effective intervention for improving self-directed learning and problem-solving abilities in nursing education. It is imperative to enhance the faculty s competency to apply various teaching methods to increase students’ class satisfaction.

The impact of unfolding case studies combined with think-aloud strategies on the clinical reasoning and self-directed learning abilities of postgraduate students: A mixed methods study

BackgroundMedical students face a heavy burden as they are tasked with acquiring a vast amount of medical knowledge within a limited time frame. Self-directed learning (SDL) has become crucial for efficient and ongoing learning among medical students. However, effective ways to foster SDL ability among Chinese medical students are lacking, and limited studies have identified factors that impact the SDL ability of medical students. This makes it challenging for educators to develop targeted strategies to improve students’ SDL ability. This study aims to assess SDL ability among Chinese medical students and examine the effects of career calling and teaching competencies on SDL ability, as well as the possible mechanisms linking them.MethodsData were collected from 3614 respondents (effective response rate = 60.11%) using cross-sectional online questionnaires and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 22.0. The questionnaire comprised a Demographic Characteristics Questionnaire, Self-directed Learning Ability Scale (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.962), Teaching Competencies Scale, and Career Calling Scale.ResultsThe average SDL ability score of Chinese medical students was 3.68 ± 0.56, indicating a moderate level of SDL ability. The six factors of the Self-directed Learning Ability Scale—self-reflection, ability to use learning methods, ability to set study plans, ability to set studying objectives, ability to adjust psychological state, and willpower in studying—accounted for 12.90%, 12.89%, 12.39%, 11.94%, 11.34%, and 8.67% of the variance, respectively. Furthermore, career calling was positively associated with SDL learning ability (β = 0.295, p < 0.001), and SDL learning ability was positively associated with teaching competencies (β = 0.191, p < 0.01). Simple slope analysis showed that when the level of teaching competencies was higher, the influence of career calling on SDL ability was stronger.ConclusionsChinese medical students’ SDL ability has room for improvement. Medical students could strengthen their willpower in studying by setting milestones goals with rewards, which could inspire their motivation for the next goals. Teachers should guide students to learn experience to improve students’ reflective ability. Educators play a crucial role in bridging the gap between career calling education and SDL ability enhancement, highlighting the significance of optimal teaching competencies. Colleges should focus on strengthening teachers’ sense of career calling and teaching competencies.

BackgroundAs indispensable reserves for the nursing workforce, undergraduate nursing students must possess self-directed learning abilities to consistently update their professional knowledge and adapt to the evolving demands of professional development. The acquisition of self-directed learning abilities can help undergraduate nursing students augment their theoretical knowledge and refine their clinical practice skills, thus fulfilling the demand from patients for high-quality nursing services. Hence, comprehending and investigating the factors that influence the development of self-directed learning abilities in nursing students is of paramount importance for nursing education and advancement of the nursing profession.ObjectivesThis study investigated the status of and associations between perceived stress, psychological capital, and self-directed learning abilities among undergraduate nursing students. Additionally, it examines the mediating role of psychological capital in the relationship between perceived stress and self-directed learning abilities. Thus, aiming to provide nursing educators with new directions for enhancing self-directed learning abilities.DesignA cross-sectional descriptive study.MethodsIn February and March 2023, 900 undergraduate nursing students from 10 nursing schools completed an online questionnaire. The questionnaire included measures of perceived stress, psychological capital, and self-directed learning ability. Data were analyzed using SPSS 27.0 and the PROCESS macro tool.ResultsThe scores for perceived stress, psychological capital, and self-directed learning ability among undergraduate nursing students were 40.07 ± 5.90, 99.89 ± 16.59, and 87.12 ± 9.20, respectively. Self-directed learning abilities were negatively correlated with perceived stress (r = -0.415, p < 0.001) and positively correlated with psychological capital (r = 0.465, p < 0.001). Perceived stress was negatively correlated with psychological capital (r = -0.630, p < 0.001). Psychological capital partially mediated the relationship between perceived stress and self-directed learning abilities among undergraduate nursing students, with a mediation effect of -0.166, accounting for 49.55% of the total effect.ConclusionThis study found that undergraduate nursing students perceived high levels of stress, possessed low levels of psychological capital, and had moderate levels of self-directed learning. Perceived stress and psychological capital directly influenced undergraduate nursing students’ self-directed learning abilities, and perceived stress indirectly affected self-directed learning abilities through psychological capital. Nursing managers and educators should alleviate the perceived stress of undergraduate nursing students and cultivate their positive psychological capital to enhance self-directed learning abilities.

ObjectivesThis study aimed to evaluate the level of medical students’ self-directed learning (SDL) ability in mainland China and to identify its modifiable influencing factors for medical educators to take measures...

Factors associated with self-directed learning among undergraduate nursing students in Vietnam