Keywords
Medical education
University students
Midwifery
Obstetric
Categories
How to Cite
Abstract
Introduction: self-directed learning is a key competency in the training of health professionals; however, it has been scarcely studied among first-year university students in Chile.
Objective: to assess the level of self-directed learning and its dimensions in a public university in Chile between 2017 and 2022.
Methods: a quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted. The Self-Directed Learning Scale based on Garrison’s Model was applied to 320 students (95% of the total population, n = 336). Measures of central tendency and dispersion were calculated, and quartile-based categorization was used to establish performance levels in each dimension. Independent samples Student’s t-test was used to compare mean scores between pre- and post-pandemic groups.
Results: of the three dimensions of self-directed learning, measured on a scale from 1 to 5, motivation showed the highest mean score (4.39), followed by self-control (4.23) and self-management (3.85). The overall mean score was 4.15. More than 50% of participants were classified in low and lower-middle levels across all dimensions. Self-management was the weakest dimension. No statistically significant differences were found in self-directed learning between pre- and post-pandemic cohorts.
Conclusions: students demonstrate good levels of motivation and self-control, but low levels of self-management, representing a weakness in their training. This pattern persists even after the pandemic, suggesting that educational transitions and the lack of structured strategies may limit learning autonomy. Early pedagogical interventions are needed to strengthen self-management from the beginning of university education.
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