Paper
Wednesday, 19 July 2006
This presentation is part of : Techniques for Nursing Education
Measuring Self Directed Learning in Graduate Nursing Students
Dana N. Rutledge, PhD, RN, Department of Nursing, California State University, Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, USA
Learning Objective #1: Describe measurement of self directed learning readiness for nursing students.
Learning Objective #2: Describe use of the Self Directed Learning Readiness tool with one group of graduate students.
Background. Factors found to influence graduate success have been demographic, grade averages, and GRE scores. Correlations between factors and success (graduate GPA) were weak/moderate (Ainslie et al., 1976; Thomas, 1977).

Self-directed learning readiness (SDLR) is an individual trait accounting for amount of responsibility learners accept for own learning (Fisher, King, & Tague, 2001), and may be important in academic success. No studies have evaluated its effect on graduate nursing success; in fact, graduate nursing students’ SDLR is not reported.

Purpose. To evaluate feasibility, psychometric properties of SDLR scale with new graduate students.

Methods. 30 nurses at orientation to master’s program of California state university completed 40-item SDLR (Fisher et al.). Developed following literature review and Delphi technique with experts, when tested with Australian bachelor’s nursing students, SDLR had unidimensionality and internally consistent factors: self management, desire for learning, self control.

Findings. 30/60 students returned the tool with complete responses. Average student was female (73%), had children (60%), mean age 35. Concentrations varied: CRNA (53%), FNP (23%), Women’s health /Midwifery (10%), nursing administration (7%), school nurse (7%).

Overall SDLR internal consistency was good (α = .92); 36 items had individual item-total correlations > .30. Three reverse-coded items had low correlations. Subscale alpha coefficients were acceptable: self management (.84), desire for learning (.84), self control (.79).

Discussion. Administration of SDLR at orientation was not ideal. Students hurried to finish. 3 of 4 items requiring reverse coding had poor item-total correlation scores, indicating students may not have “caught” subtle wording changes. However, the psychometrics of SDLR seems adequate for use with graduate nursing students.

Recommendations. Future SDLR administrations should follow careful instruction as to reverse coding for some items, and describe the response set. Further examination of SDLR for use with graduate students is warranted.

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