Abstract:
The readiness for self-directed learning among the
students and its role in improving
life-long learning skills has been emphasized recen
tly. The present descriptive study
aimed at analyzing the self-directed learning skill
s possessed by the students of
agriculture at Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran,
Iran (N= 414). As far as
methodological design is concerned, the study has u
tilized Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970)
table, and stratified random sampling technique, th
rough which 201 students were
selected as sample (n= 201). From this, 193 student
s filled and returned the research
instrument (Return rate= 96%). A set of open ended
questionnaires was developed, which
was considered to be the main tool for the collecti
on of required data. This prepared
questionnaire was validated by a panel of experts o
f agricultural extension and education,
subsequently; its reliability was also checked and
confirmed by Cronbach’s Alpha
coefficient (0.78-0.83). The results showed that th
e students could perceive the range of
‘moderate to high’ for all dimensions underlying se
lf-directed learning skills. Based upon
another part of results, the students with differen
t educational levels, majors and grade
point averages had different self-directed learning
skills. It can be concluded that
readiness for self-directed learning is a crucial f
actor for all students and should be taken
into consideration in education planning with regar
d to each field. It is necessary to state
that the educational system seeks to develop such s
kills to promote self-management, self-
monitoring, and self-motivating as well as SDL skil
ls among the students.
Keywords:
Agricultural students, Iran, Life-long learning, Se
lf-Directed Learning (SDL).
