title: A confirmatory factor analysis of the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale.
abstract: The Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale measures readiness for self-directed learning among undergraduate healthcare students. While several exploratory factor analyses and one confirmatory factor analysis have examined the psychometric properties of the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale, questions have been raised regarding the underlying latent constructs being measured. The objective of this study was to determine the best-fitting Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale factorial structure among three models published in the literature. Data from the three-factor 40-item Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale completed by 233 undergraduate paramedic students from four Australian universities (response rate of 26%) were analyzed using maximum likelihood confirmatory factor analysis. Comparison of model fit from the 40-item version was undertaken with the previously documented four-factor 36-item and three-factor 29-item Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scales. The model fit indices of the three one-factor congeneric models with maximum likelihood analysis demonstrate that the 40-item Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale does not fit the data well. The best fitting model was the four-factor 36-item Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale followed by the three-factor 29-item models. The confirmatory factor analysis results did not support the overall construct validity of the original 40-item Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Community Emergency Health and Paramedic Practice, Monash University - Peninsula Campus, Frankston, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Brett
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Ted
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D004517:Education, Professional / Q000379:methods; D004634:Emergency Medical Technicians / Q000193:education; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018794:Problem-Based Learning / Q000379:methods*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000592:standards*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012647:Self-Assessment; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: confirmatory factor analysis; paramedics; self-directed learning; undergraduate education