The attributes of self-direction in learning are becoming increasingly important as the need for lifelong learning grows in strength. Educators are challenged to assist in the development of self-directed learning skills and to encourage learners to more freely use self-direction in their learning activities. Unfortunately, there are few validated procedures for identifying the self-directed learners. Guglielmino's Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale is one of the few instruments identified in the literature for the purpose of measuring self-direction in learning. Even though the scale has been widely used, additional validation is needed.This study was designed to use a multitrait-multimethod procedure for determining the validity of the SDLRS. The sample included 136 college students from two different colleges: 63 black students, 70 white students and 3 students of other nationalities (other than USA). Thirtyseven specific hypotheses were tested. Findings concerning selected hypotheses are discussed. Three general conclusions concerning the validity of the SDLRS are as follows: (1) The findings are supportive of the validity of the SDLRS; (2) Significant differences were noted in faculty ratings according to racial composition and student scores on the SDLRS; (3) Significant associations exist between the S DLRS scores and variables such as age, educational level and ARS (agreement response set).The concept of self-direction in learning is an attractive idea that seems to be of increasing interest in higher education circles. The literature on the self-directed learner is abundant and increasing (Guglielmino, 1977;Smith and Haverkamp, 1977). Yet educators are challenged to distinguish between those adults who possess the characteristics often believed to be associated with self-direction in learning and those adults who fail to reveal such attributes.As it is customary to attempt to identify important characteristics among individuals by the use of some kind of paper and pencil scale, an examination of the literature reveals a possible instrument for this purpose: Guglielmino's Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS) (1977). The SDLRS is recommended as having power to identify self-direction in learning behavior.
This study addresses the question: can the adult educator remain currently informed of important concerns and issues in adult education through the pages of Adult Education? The study of Adult Education from 1964 to 1973 was designed to generate infor mation concerning: 1. kinds of articles published; 2. content of articles published; 3. number of articles based on dissertations and theses; 4. contributors of articles; and 5. general trends. One hun dred and sixty-one articles written by 163 different authors were printed during the nine-year period. The articles were character ized by variability according to kind, content and authors. The findings, conclusions and implications are discussed.
The complexity of life and the increasing importance of learning across the lifespan puts an added emphasis on self-direction in learning. Guglielmino's Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS) is one of the most frequently reported instruments designed to measure self-directed learning readiness. Therefore, the validity of the instrument is an important topic. This is the second study by the authors that is designed to contribute to knowledge of the validity of the SDLRS. In the first study, the authors concluded that general findings support the validity of the instrument. Questions generated by the lack of association between faculty ratings on self-direction and student scores on the SDLRS, however, needed further study.The second study, reported here, was specifically designed to examine the effects of two teacher rating scales as used in the two investigations. The extremely low (0.03) correlation between faculty ratings and the SDLRS scores noted in the first study is compared to the findings in the second study. A correlation of 0.20, significant at the 0.056 level, was noted in this study. It is concluded, therefore, that the rating scale as used in the first study may have been seriously flawed. A persistent tendency of the faculty to rate black students lower in self-direction and older students higher in self-direction raises additional questions concerning faculty rating procedures. Other findings reported in this study are similar to those reported in the earlier study In a previous study (Long and Agyekum, 1983) designed to determine the validity of Guglielmino's (1977) Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS), teacher ratings (of self-direction in learning) failed to be associated with scores on the SDLRS and other independent variables such as (a) age, (b) educational level (c) dogmatism, (d) educational level (e) race and (f) sex. The kinds of correlations among the other variables identified in the previous study raised some questions concerning the validity of the SDLRS even though it was concluded that the findings generally supported the validity of the instrument. Additional study was encouraged. This investigation was designed to answer some of the questions raised by the findings reported in 1983.
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