Self-directed learning readiness and learning styles among Saudi undergraduate nursing students.
BACKGROUND
Self-directed learning has become a focus for nursing education in the past few decades due to the complexity and changes in nursing profession development. On the other hand, the Kolb's learning style could identify student's preference for perceiving and processing information.


OBJECTIVE
This study was performed to determine Saudi nursing students' readiness for self-directed learning; to identify their learning styles and to find out the relation between these two concepts.


METHODS
Cross-sectional descriptive study.


METHODS
Nursing department of faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Al-Jouf University, Saudi Arabia.


METHODS
Two hundred and seventy-five undergraduate Saudi nursing students.


METHODS
Data was collected using self-administered questionnaires covering the demographic features of students, Fisher's self-directed learning readiness (SDLR) scale, and the Kolb's learning styles inventory.


RESULTS
The mean scores of self-management, desire for learning, self-control and the overall SDLR were 51.3 ± 5.9, 48.4 ± 5.5, 59.9 ± 6.7, and 159.6 ± 13.8; respectively. About 77% (211) of students have high level of SDLR. The percentages of converger, diverger, assimilator and accommodator learning styles are 35.6%, 25.8%, 25.55% and 13.1%; respectively. The mean score of self-management, desire for learning, self-control and overall SDLR scale did not vary with any of the studied variables. There is no association between the level of SDLR and the learning styles.


CONCLUSIONS
The high level of SDLR and the dominant converger learning style among undergraduate nursing students will have a positive implication for their education and post-employment continuing nursing education.
College of Medicine, Mansoura University, Egypt. ahgilany@gmail.com
Abdel-Hady
AH
El-Gilany
Fawzia El Sayed
Fel S
Abusaad
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D017145:Models, Educational; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013338:Students, Nursing; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult