Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Faculty of Payam Noor University
2 Faculty of Shahid Beheshti University
Abstract
The capacity of self-directed learning, which is regarded as a survival skill in response to the rapid change of modern society, is therefore identified as one of the major educational aims in many countries. Therefore, this research was conducted with the aim of analyzing the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Self-Directed Learning Scale (Lounsbury & Gibson, 2006) in university students. In this descriptive survey research, 400 undergraduate students of Shahid Beheshti University (200 men and 200 women) were selected using available sampling method. Students responded to the self-directed learning scale, the motivational regulation scale (Kim, Brady, & Wolters, 2018) and the motivational persistence scale (Constantin, Holman & Hojbota, 2012). In the first part, the results of principal components analysis emphasized the one-factor structure of the scale. Next, while Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) confirmed the uni-dimensionality of the scale, a multi-group CFA supported the structure as invariant across genders. Besides, the Cronbach's alpha result showed that the scale was internally consistent. Also, the results related to the correlation between self-directed learning with motivational regulation and motivational persistence provided sufficient evidence in defense of the criterion validity of the self-directed learning scale. To conclude, the present study provides reliability and validity evidence for the SDLS, supporting it as a feasible tool in measuring self-directed learning in the university context in Iran. Furthermore, the study expanded the nomothetic span of self-directed learning by establishing its relationships with motivational regulation and motivational persistence.
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