Development of the Learner Self-Directedness in the Workplace Scale

Abstract

<strong>Orientation:</strong> This study reports on the development of an instrument that one can use to measure learner self-directedness in work environments.<p><strong>Research purpose:</strong> The purpose of this study was to develop a scale to measure learner selfdirectedness in the workplace.</p><p><strong>Motivation for the study:</strong> Learner self-directedness appears to be an essential characteristic to keep up with the demands of the world of work. There is no brief instrument currently available to measure learner self-directedness in the workplace.</p><p><strong>Research design, approach and method:</strong> The researchers fitted the responses of 519 participantsto 22 items to the Rasch rating scale model.</p><p><strong>Main findings:</strong> The researchers retained 13 of the original 22 items. The hierarchy of item locations supported the construct validity of the scale. Hierarchical factor analysis showed the presence of one higher-order factor and three residual first-order factors. The higher-order factor accounted for almost five times as much of the common variance as did the strongest residual first-order factor. The Rasch analysis and the factor analysis suggested that the 13-item Learner Self-Directedness in the Workplace Scale (LSWS) measures a single one-dimensional construct (α = 0.93).</p><p><strong>Practical/managerial implications:</strong> The instrument can help employers to understand and support employees’ self-directed learning efforts.</p><p><strong>Contribution/value-add:</strong> This research resulted in a brief instrument to measure learner selfdirectedness in the workplace. This instrument is unique in the South African context.</p><p><strong>How to cite this article:</strong><br /> De Bruin, K., & De Bruin, G.P. (2011). Development of the Learner Self-Directedness in the Workplace Scale. <em>SA Journal of Industrial Psychology/SA Tydskrif vir Bedryfsielkunde, 37</em>(1), Art. #926, 10 pages. doi:10.4102/sajip.v37i1.926</p&gt

The development of the MACE work-family enrichment instrument

“…Item locations reflect the relative difficulty the respondents experienced in agreeing with items. This, in turn, indicates the location of particular items on the latent trait continuum: items with higher locations are more difficult to agree with than those with lower location parameters (De Bruin & De Bruin, 2011). A spread of approximately -3 to +3 logits is usually considered adequate.…”

Dimensionality of the UWES-17: An item response modelling analysis

“…This test information curve may then be used to indicate the range where the measurement of the latent trait functions less and more efficiently (De Bruin & De Bruin, 2011).…”

The relation of cognitive learning strategies to psychosocial employability attributes amongst black adult learners in the economic and management sciences field

“…Using practical factual information to solve problems and make decisions that apply to real-world situations also increases adult learners' sense of self-directedness and intrinsic learning motivation (Coetzee & Botha 2013). Self-directed learners are known to take responsibility for their learning and to feel confident about their ability to be successful (Botha, 2012;De Bruin & De Bruin, 2011). Fugate and Kinicki (2008) found positive self-evaluations to be characteristic of resilient individuals who are also regarded to be highly employable.…”