Purpose: To measure the complex of attitudes, abilities, and characteristics that comprise readiness to engage in self-directed learning.
Source: http://www.lpasdlrs.com/
Short description: The SDLRS was first published in 1978 by Guglielmino. It is a 58 item, five point Likert scale instrument that measures a total score for self-directed learning readiness. Delahaye and Choy (2000) confirm the internal consistency and test-retest reliability values, as well as content, construct and criterion-related validity. Guglielmino (1978) identified eleven characteristics of self-directed learners including initiative, independence, persistence, responsibility, self-discipline, curiosity, desire (to learn or change), basic skills (study and organizational), pacing/completion, joy of learning, and goal orientation.
Sample questions:
Instructions: This is a questionnaire designed to gather data on learning preferences and attitudes towards learning. After reading each item, please indicate the degree to which you feel that statement is true of you. There are no right or wrong answers. Please read each choice carefully and choose the response which best expresses your feeling.
There is no time limit for the questionnaire. Try not to spend too much time on any one item; however, your first reaction to the question will usually be the most accurate.
Responses
1 = Almost never true of me; I hardly ever feel this way.
2 = Not often true of me; I feel this way less than half the time.
3 = Sometimes true of me; I feel this way about half the time.
4 = Usually true of me; I feel this way more than half the time.
5 = Almost always true of me; there are very few times when I don’t feel this way.
Sample questions:
- I’m looking forward to learning as long as I’m living.
- I know what I want to learn.
- I love to learn.
Paid or free: Free
Reliability/validity measures:
- Based on a population of 3,151 individuals from the United States and Canada, a split-half Pearson product moment correlation with a Spearman-Brown correction produced a reliability coefficient of .94 (Guglielmino & Guglielmino, 1991). Most published studies on populations over twenty years old report similar reliability figures that fall within a range of .72 – .96. In addition to internal reliability estimates, Finestone (1984) and Wiley (1981) reported test-retest reliability coefficients of .82 and .79 respectively.
- Although there have been some criticisms of the SDLRS, (Brockett, 1987; Field, 1989; Straka & Hinz, 1996), the vast majority of studies have supported the reliability and validity of the instrument (see, for example, Delahaye & Smith, 1995; Durr, 1992; Finestone, 1984; Graeve, 1987; Hassan, 1982; Long & Agyekum, 1984; McCune & Guglielmino, 1991; Posner, 1989; Russell, 1988). The SDLRS and its self-scoring form, the Learning Preference Assessment, are the most frequently used instruments for assessing self-directed learning readiness (Merriam & Caffarella, 1999; Merriam, Caffarella, & Baumgartner, 2007).
- The most recent comprehensive review of the SDLRS/LPA by Delahaye and Choy examined content, construct and criterion-related validity as well as its reliability (both internal consistency and test-retest). They note that “there has been extensive support for the LPA in the literature as an accurate and useful instrument for measuring readiness for self-directed learning.” Addressing some criticism and minor concerns, they conclude: “While bearing some cautions in mind, the LPA can be used with acceptable confidence to provide an accurate measurement of readiness for self-directed learning.”
Citation: Delahaye, B. & Choy, S. (2000). The Learning Preference Assessment (Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale). In Maltby, J., Lewis, C. A., & Hill, A. (2000). Commissioned reviews of 250 psychological tests. Edwin Mellen Press, Wales, U.K.
Setting:
- Educational
- Individual
Stakeholder(s):
- Students
- Instructors
- Individuals
Type of measurement: Questionnaire
Possible uses: Individual and educational growth
Ease of implementation: Easy. 58 items, est. 15 min.
Advantages:
- Available in Spanish (Castilian, Columbian, and Cuban), French, German, Italian, Korean, Malay, Chinese, Japanese, Finnish, Greek, Portuguese, Afrikaans, Russian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Farsi, Dutch, Polish and Turkish.
- Quantitative.
- Provides information on how to interpret your score.
- No time limit.
Drawbacks: Self-report
Studies this has been used in: List is extremely lengthy. See the bottom of the selfdeterminationtheory.org link for a full list of studies which utilize this instrument.