As the students experienced changes in the educational environment and teaching practices, it was important to determine the impact of the teaching and learning approaches on student learning, and to describe suggestions needed for improvement. The aim of this study was to determine the learning styles and stages of self-direction in learning for students at Abu Dhabi Institute of Nursing, and to investigate whether there was a relationship between learning style, stage of self-direction and academic performance in courses. taught through the case-based method. This study was guided by Kolb's theory of Experiential Learning, and Grow's theory of the Stage Self-Directed Learning Model.
Kolb's learning style inventory and a self-designed instrument to measure the stages of self-direction were administered to 186 students who agreed to participate in the study. Regarding self-directed stages, most students rated themselves in moderate self-directed stages (67.2%), however, Diploma III had the highest percentage of self-directed students (57%). A significant relationship was also found between the stage of self-direction in learning and academic performance, where students in the highest stages of self-direction had higher average results compared to students in the low and moderate stages of self-direction.
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
Therefore, Grow's (1991) concept of stages of self-regulation in learning seems more appropriate for professional education. These include (a) students with low self-direction, (b) students with moderate self-direction, (c) students with intermediate self-direction, and (d) students with high self-direction. A detailed description of Grow's stages of self-management in learning can be found in the theoretical framework section of this proposal.
Therefore, questions arise such as: What is the relationship between. a) learning style and degree of self-directed learning, (b) learning style and academic performance, and (c) degree of self-directed learning and. Information obtained from a study that examines students' learning styles and levels of self-directed learning can be used to make decisions about the methods that would most effectively achieve the desired outcome. Data on levels of self-direction could help teachers plan lessons so that there is consistency between learning and teaching strategies used in the teaching/learning process.
CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Kolb's Learning Style Inventory is the most commonly used method to measure learning styles among nursing students. A literature review revealed that the most commonly used variables in research on learning styles (LS) among nursing students were (a) types. There was no significant difference between the two groups of nursing students in terms of the learning style they preferred; However, it was found that the largest percentage of RN students had an accommodator.
Both researchers (Huch, 1981; King, 1984) further reported that the majority of subjects participating in their studies preferred a learning style that included the form of concrete experience (CE), and that the topics on the learning styles were divided. profile. In addition, Laschinger wanted to compare the predominant learning style of the nursing students in the study with the perceived press of the nursing environments, assessed for evidence of a match between person-environment variables. These findings regarding learning style are inconsistent with the studies of Highfield (1988), Haislett et al (1993), and Wells et al.
Using Kolb's Learning Styles Inventory (LSI), Highfield (1988) assessed the styles of 65 volunteer, primarily minority, baccalaureate nursing students. Differences in learning style among baccalaureate nursing students in their final semester of clinical studies were also explored. In contrast, if the data point falls near the center of the grid, the learning style is more balanced.
Studies have identified predictors of a successful student, including learning style. The author examined the relationship between learning style and academic performance as measured by the grade point ratio (GPR). A significant difference was found between active and reflective learners regarding learning style.
The learning style scores were calculated and faculty and student learning style congruence was described as (a) fit on both abstract-concrete and active-reflective dimension (b) fit on only the abstract-concrete and active-reflective dimension; (c). While there were variations in nursing students' learning styles, the predominant learning style of the sample was assimilation. The above research review is divided into promoting the relationship between learning style and performance.
Abstract Conceptualization
CHAPTER 3 Methodology
The study design and a description of the instruments used to collect the data as well as statistical treatment are also included. One hundred and eighty-six diploma nursing students enrolled at the Institute of Nursing, Abu Dhabi, were invited to participate in the study. The tool took into account basic characteristics that differentiate the meaning of the concept of 'self-directed learning' such as autonomy, motivation, initiative,.
The self-directed learning instrument is a 16-item four-point Likert scale that ranks a number of self-directed learning skills. Students were asked to rate themselves in terms of the extent to which they believed the statement on the scale described their approach to learning. It is worth noting here that the stages, developed by the researcher, were compared to the stages of Grow as follows: none, for those who were not self-directed and the range of scores is less than 16; low, to low self-directed with a number of points.
The content validity of the translated resources was verified by three-person assessment of teachers' agreement regarding the translated LSI and the concepts characterizing self-direction in learning. The instruments were given to 20% of 01, 011 and 0111 students at Sharjah Campus to prevent over-scrutiny of students at Abu Ohabi campus. The names were not used directly on any materials or in reporting the results.
The reports were discussed in the findings as they generally apply to all participants. This study was limited in the conclusions it could draw due to the small size of the available study population. Nevertheless, the entire student population of the Abu Dhabi Institute of Nursing participated in the study.
The researcher designed the self-directed learning tool; therefore, its “true” validity and reliability remain to be established.
Results
Cross-tabulation analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between stages of self-directed learning and level of study. Chi-square results (df =4, P . =, 000) show that there is a significant relationship between the stage of self-direction in learning and the level of study. 2 which stated that students in 0111 would be at higher stages of self-directed learning compared to 01 and 011.
The participants' mean performance scores by stages of self-management in learning are presented in Table 9. It is worth mentioning here that the stages of self-management in learning were collapsed into three stages as follows: (1) none-low, (2) moderate, and (c ) high, as no autonomous students were minimally represented in the sample (n=1). Again, ANOVA was calculated to measure differences in academic achievement by stage of self-management between groups.
A cross-tabulation analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between learning styles and stages of self-direction in learning. Similarly, more assimilators and accommodators were found in moderate stages of self-management groups (56%) compared to convergers and divergers (44%). Chi-square results (df.=6, p=. 22) indicate that there is a significant relationship between learning style and the stage of self-direction in learning.
4 which stated that students with divergent and convergent learning styles would demonstrate higher stages of self-direction compared to assimilators and accommodators. According to Grow (1991), students with moderate stages of self-direction are categorized as students of stage 2. The results obtained from correlational testing revealed that there is a significant relationship between the stage of self-direction and academic performance (see table 8).
However, some of the 0111 students had not yet reached the high stage of self-direction in learning. This diversity in learning styles and stages of self-direction in learning is an important variable in the educational process. Teachers must be willing to commit to using the concept of learning style and self-direction phase in learning.
The relationship between academic performance and the variables of learning style, intellectual development, age, and ACT scores among nursing students. The locus of control, learning styles, and satisfaction of adult students with the baccalaureate nursing program ~ Unpublished dissertations, University of Mississippi. A comparative study of adult development patterns of generic and RN students in a baccalaureate nursing program and the correlation of the impact of the educational experiences on the development patterns.
A conceptual framework for guiding the development of self-directed lifelong learning In. Lifelong learning: formal, informal, informal and self-directed. A comparative study of teacher-directed and independent methods of teaching clinical skills to undergraduate nursing students. 1995) Effects of learning styles strategy and intervention strategies on at-risk high school achievement and locus of control.
The content of the medical curriculum at McMaster University: graduates' evaluation of their preparation and postgraduate training. The learning style inventory describes the way you learn and how you deal with ideas. Arrange the endings for each sentence according to how well you think each one fits.
8-Keep an open mind to others' points of view 9-Need detailed direction to complete assignments 1O-Am able to diagnose my own learning needs 11-Am able to set goals to meet my learning needs. 15-Relate to teachers as helpers or facilitators 16-Consider myself a non-dependent and self-directed learner.
