Investigation On Learning Ability And Influencing Factors Of Self-directed Learning (SDL) In Shanghai Secondary Nursing New Students

Objective: The 21 st century medical care model is changing to meet patients' individual needs of ‘biological-psychological-social' care.Nursing staff need to continually take the initiative to learn new knowledge and skills in order to be qualified for patient's personalized service and clinical nursing work.Therefore,the self-directed learning(SDL)ability of nursing students becomes the inherent demand and development trend of nursing education.At present,the relevant research in China is mainly concentrated in the higher nursing institutions,mainly for college and undergraduate students,while ignoring the fact that secondary nursing schools in China still play an important role.This study systematically investigates the status of SDL ability of new students in secondary nursing schools and explored the influencing factors in depth,providing empirical evidence for teaching reform of secondary nursing schools.Methods: The study uses the literature reading method,questionnaire survey method,focus interview method and mathematical statistics method.By reading literatures,the author learned the theoretical basis and status of relevant research at home and abroad as guidance for the research on secondary nursing students.By using a cluster sampling method on basis of the Nursing Student General Information Questionnaire and Self-Rating Scale of Self-Directed Learning(SRSSDL)(called scale later),the author carried out an investigation with students of four secondary nursing schools in Shanghai and collected the general information and SDL ability of the following five aspects: SDL awareness,learning strategies,learning behavior,learning evaluation and interpersonal skills.Descriptive statistics,single-factor and multi-factor analysis were used to analyze the results and determine the influencing factors.A convenient sampling method is also used to conduct focus interviews among some nursing students and collect the qualitative material in the three aspects of ‘learning behavior,study evaluation,learning awareness' for analysis and supplementation of quantitative research conclusion.Finally,the author put forward the strategies and methods of how to improve the SDL ability of secondary nursing students,providing the empirical evidence for the future teaching reform.Results: 1.The total score(mean±SD)of SRSSDL is 220.49 ±28.66 with each dimension's score as follows: interpersonal skills(45.43 ± 6.9),learning strategies(44.41 ±6.56),learning awareness(44.07 ±5.97),learning evaluation(43.59 ±6.65),and learning activities(43.00±6.27).2.The following aspects significantly affect nursing students' SDL ability(P<0.05): the way she choose the nursing profession(by herself or not),acquisition of relevant self-learning knowledge,difficulties encountered in the learning process,self-learning experience,acquisition of learning resources,preference for the nursing profession,group learning situations,learning motivation,learning habit,and attitudes towards teaching facilities.The following aspects bring no significant difference on the SDL scores(P>0.05): only child in her family or not,place of origin,and nationality.3.The multi-factor analysis results indicate that self-learning experience,learning motivation and learning habit could significantly affect the SDL ability(P<0.05).4.The focus interviews show that students in the secondary nursing school have significant characteristics in learning behavior,learning evaluation and learning awareness.Conclusions: 1.The SDL ability of secondary nursing students in Shanghai is medium.2.Students in secondary nursing school have lower scores on learning behavior,learning evaluation and learning awareness.3.The scores of learning strategies and interpersonal skills among students in secondary nursing schools are higher.4.It is necessary to use focus interviews as a supplement to the scale,and it is important to analyze the scoring reasons and influencing factors of the scale.5.It is necessary for secondary nursing schools to carry out SDL teaching reform.6.The following methods are recommended to improve the SDL ability of students in secondary nursing schools: stimulate their learning motivation,help them to form good learning habits,encourage them to study independently,improve their learning interest and self-confidence,and establish a new teacher-student relationship.