A confirmatory factor analysis of the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Education
• Psychometrics
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• The Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS) is used to assess self-directed learning readiness in undergraduate healthcare students.
• Previous analyses of the SDLRS psychometric properties have yielded questions about its underlying latent constructs.
• Validating the SDLRS is crucial for accurately measuring self-directed learning in educational and clinical settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the best-fitting factorial structure of the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS) among three published models.
• To evaluate the construct validity of the original 40-item SDLRS using confirmatory factor analysis.
• To compare the fit of different SDLRS versions in a sample of Australian paramedic students.

Main Methods:

• Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using maximum likelihood estimation was performed on data from 233 undergraduate paramedic students.
• The CFA compared the fit of three Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS) models: a 40-item, a 36-item, and a 29-item version.
• Model fit indices were used to assess how well each SDLRS factorial structure represented the data.

Main Results:

• The 40-item Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS) demonstrated poor fit to the data.
• The four-factor, 36-item SDLRS model exhibited the best fit among the tested structures.
• The three-factor, 29-item SDLRS model also showed a better fit than the original 40-item version.

Conclusions:

• The construct validity of the original 40-item Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS) was not supported by this study's findings.
• The four-factor, 36-item SDLRS appears to be a more robust measure of self-directed learning readiness in this student population.
• Further research may be needed to refine or validate alternative SDLRS structures for healthcare education.