title: The development and validation of the Self-directed Learning Scales (SLS).
abstract: This article describes the development and validation of the Self-directed Learning Scales (SLS) using data from 14,846 secondary students. Self-directed learning refers to a process whereby the learner consciously and actively directs his/her actions in the learning process. The SLS comprised a battery of subscales measuring students' goal setting, planning, academic motivation, academic self-efficacy, inquiry and information processing, strategic help-seeking, management of learning resources, and self-monitoring. Rasch analysis following factor analyses provided evidence in support of the validity of SLS for use with secondary students. Two original subscales were merged with other subscales on the basis of the analyses, resulting in 19 subscales with strong psychometric properties in the Self-directed Learning Scales.
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational Psychology, Counselling and Learning Needs, The Hong Kong Institute of Education, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong. mmcmok@ied.edu.hk
authors.forename: Magdalena Mo Ching
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Mok
authors.forename: Cheng Yin
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Cheong
authors.forename: Phillip John
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Kerry John
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Kennedy
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D011584:Psychology / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires