Self-directed and student-centred learning in nurse education: 1

Abstract

This article, the first of two, considers the factors precipitating the widespread adoption of self-directed and student-centered learning in nurse education. It argues that these concepts have been accepted in a relatively uncritical fashion and that the theoretical rationale for their use has yet to be fully tested empirically. The results of a study of the expectations of Project 2000 students suggest that adult learners may not necessarily want the freedom afforded by self-directed approaches, but may prefer a more structural and ordered model.