The Impact of Learning Structure on Students' Readiness for Self-Directed Learning

Abstract

Self-directed learning (SDL) skills are the basis of lifelong learning. The authors present findings from a classroom experiment to assess acquisition of the skill of SDL under structured and unstructured learning environments. The authors found that structure match enhances SDL skills and that courses designed to enhance students' readiness for SDL can do so. However, the majority of the students in this study, who were likely to be similar to other students at public universities in metropolitan areas, entered the course unprepared for SDL. The structured environment, in which students model good learning skills, provided a more suitable environment for improving student readiness for SDL for more students. The authors make recommendations for the development of SDL across the college curriculum.