Readiness for self-directed learning among basic sciences medical students

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Self-directed learning (SDL) is essential for medical students to foster lifelong learning.
• This study assesses the SDL readiness of basic sciences medical students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To measure the self-directed learning readiness of basic sciences medical students.
• To identify factors influencing SDL readiness in this cohort.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 288 basic sciences medical students.
• Fisher's self-directed learning readiness (SDLR) scale, assessing self-management, desire for learning, and self-control, was utilized.
• Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (t-test, ANOVA, MANOVA) with SPSS-25.

Main Results:

• The majority of students (63.9%) scored above 150 on the SDLR scale, indicating high overall readiness.
• The mean total SDLR score was 152.98 (SD = 16.76).
• Self-control had the highest mean score (59.99 ± 6.95), followed by desire for learning (46.99 ± 5.64) and self-management (46.01 ± 7.07).
• Higher cumulative GPA (>17) correlated significantly with better self-management skills (P = 0.025).
• No significant associations were found between SDLR scores and demographic factors like age, gender, or marital status.

Conclusions:

• Basic sciences medical students exhibit a high level of readiness for self-directed learning.
• While self-control is a strong domain, targeted interventions should focus on improving self-management and desire for learning.
• Multi-disciplinary approaches are recommended to enhance these crucial SDL components for lifelong learning in medical education.