The study focused on learning condition and Self-directed Learning Readiness (SDLR) for undergraduate students and comparison of the opinions with different gender.101 random samples of undergraduate students were in the study. The questionnaires and SDLR were in the study instruments of learning condition involving instructors, instruction, media, measurement and evaluation and the suggestion in learning development. The data were analyzed by using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation and t-test. The results showed that all aspects were at high level. Results from the data analysis of the students with SDLR were all in eight aspects at the high level. The comparison of difference based on gender was statistical significant difference at level .05.

1. Self-directed Learning Readiness Study for
Undergraduate Students:
A Case Study of Principles and Art of Photography
Suthin Rojprasert.1,a*, Jariya Neanchaleay.2,b, Surapon Boonlue.3,c
1
Ph.D.student, Learning Innovation and Technology Program, Faculty of Industrial
Education and Technology, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi,
Bangkok Thailand
2, 3
Faculty of Industrial Education and Technology, King Mongkut’s University of
Technology Thonburi, Bangkok Thailand
a*
suthin.roj@dpu.ac.th, bJariya.nean@kmutt.ac.th, csurapon.boo@kmutt.ac.th
Abstract
The study focused on learning condition and Self-directed Learning Readiness
(SDLR) for undergraduate students and comparison of the opinions with different
gender.101 random samples of undergraduate students were in the study. The
questionnaires and SDLR were in the study instruments of learning condition involving
instructors, instruction, media, measurement and evaluation and the suggestion in
learning development. The data were analyzed by using frequency, percentage, mean,
standard deviation and t-test. The results showed that all aspects were at high level.
Results from the data analysis of the students with SDLR were all in eight aspects at the
high level. The comparison of difference based on gender was statistical significant
difference at level .05.
Keywords
Learning Condition, Self-directed Learning (SDL), Self-directed Learning Readiness (SDLR)
1. Introduction
The National Educational reform Act A.D. 1999 and the
amendments (Second National Education Act A.D. 2002)
aim to build the capacity of students as smart and good, to
make young people's quality of life and can adapt to change
by encouraging in the concept of lifelong learning.
Therefore, education must be based on that every student
has the ability to have learning development [1].
Conditions of Learning, Gagné's contribution to
conditions-based theory of the internal and external
conditions of learning that support each type of learning
outcome. "Internal conditions" are those cognitive processes
that support the acquisition of particular categories of
learning outcomes. "External conditions" are those
instructional conditions provided by teacher, materials, or
other learners that can facilitate the internal conditions
necessary for learning. These external condition, vary
according to type of learning. Not surprisingly, given
Gagné's transition from behavioral to cognitive theory bases,
be developed the external conditions model first [2], and
Gagne's theoretical framework covers all aspects of learning,
the focus of the theory is on intellectual skills. The theory
has been applied to the design of instruction in all domains
[3]. However, Conditions of Learning is an instructional
design theory developed by Robert M. Gagné as an attempt
to make teaching a systematic, rule-guided process [4].
Although first published and it is still fundamental in the
fields of instructional design and instructional technology
[5]; parts of it were included in newer theories, such as
Instructional Transaction Theory [6]. Therefore outcomes or
goal, have been decided upon, the instructor can begin to
consider the best way to design the instruction to obtain
those goals. Each of the learning outcomes can be met with
specific conditions under which the lesson. These conditions
are similar in design to Bloom's taxonomy of cognitive
learning outcomes [7].
The child-centered instructional process reform or
student-centered learning is an approach to education
focusing on the needs of students, rather than those of others
involved in the educational process. Furthermore at present,
in progress the information technology are very powerful
and attract the attention of students. As a result, helping
deepen individual skills, encourage them to assume
responsibility for their own learning and allow them to learn
how to use and finding information. The concept of
education has changed from old to the new concept of
learning which is not limited to the time and place, teacher
will be as facilitator, students get knowledge on their own,
call self-directed learning (SDL).

2. According to Knowles [8]. studying in which individuals
have primary responsibility for planning, implementing, and
evaluating their learning effort and the importance of Selfdirected Learning is explained by Knowles, who states that:
1) There is compelling evidence that proactive students learn
more and better than reactive learners, who stand passively
waiting to be taught. Proactive students approach learning
more purposefully with higher levels of motivation, retain
and apply what is learned better and longer than reactive
learners. 2) SDL is more aligned with our natural tendencies
and psychological development processes. As we mature
and develop in psychologically, an essential characteristic is
the ability to accept increasing levels of responsibility for
our own lives and to become increasingly self-directed. 3)
Many of the new developments in educational practices,
including nontraditional study programs, universitieswithout-walls, and external degree programs, place a heavy
responsibility on the learners to take initiative and develop
abilities of self-directed inquiries. Participants involved in
these programs without the ability to self-manage their
learning will lead to anxiety, frustration and failure.
Moreover, Guglielmino [9] theorized that “self-direction
in learning can occur in a wide variety of situations, ranging
from teacher-directed classroom to self-planned and selfconducted learning projects.” She further states that it is the
personal characteristics of the learner (i.e., attitudes, values,
beliefs, and abilities). That “ultimately determine whether
self-directed learning will take place in a given learning
situation. The self directed learner more often chooses or
influences the learning objectives, activities, resources,
priorities and levels of energy expenditure than does the
other-directed learner” and describes self-directed learning is
an increase in knowledge, skill or performance pursued by
any individual for personal reasons employing any means, in
any place, at any time and at any age [10]. Therefore, selfdirected, lifelong learning is the basic ingredient for
surviving and thriving in a world of change. Students must
be able to learn and re-learn in the system. To survive in the
fast pace era, students with high SDL are able to learn more
and believe to be more creative. Whereas, students without
the initiative of learning always facing problems in learning.
According to Guglielmino there are eight factors related
to self-directed learning readiness: “love of learning, self
concept as an independent learner, ability to handle risk,
ambiguity, and complexity in learning, creativity, seeing
learning as an ongoing lifelong process, taking the initiative in
learning, understanding one’s self, and being responsible for
one’s learning. These factors suggest that some personality
factors may relate to self-directed learning” [11]. In 1991,
Guglielmino designed a self-scoring format for the instrument
and Roberson [12] states that many researchers refer to
similar works that have laid to the foundation of self-directed
learning and due to the complexity of self-directed learning;
researchers have re-structured their discourse of SDL. Around
these three parameters: an individual, learner’s dispositions
and activities characterizing self-directed approaches, relevant
cultural goals or educational philosophy, the social, historical,
and educative environmental conditions influencing selfdirected learning.
From the above theories, the researcher as lecturer in
Principles and Art of Photography found that instructors
always emphasizing the traditional lecture-discussion and
memorization of large amounts of information rather than
the development of the ability and skills to independently
knowledge, therefore, SDL is defined by researcher as a
learning situation which allows student to develop personal
competencies through experiences as an individual.
Researcher developed the instrument to assess readiness for
self directed learning by using theory of Lucy Guglielmino
(1977) the Self-directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS)
for measuring the attitudes, abilities and characteristics
which comprise of readiness to engage in self-directed
learning with adaptation to suit the learning environment to
develop of conceptual framework of learning in
undergraduate students from Faculty of Communication
Arts at Dhurajit Pundit University.
2. Research Methodology
2.1 Purpose of the study
The main purpose of the research was to study learning
condition and self-directed learning readiness (SDLR) for
undergraduate students and comparison the opinions with
different gender students of the SDLR.
2.2 Research Design
This research was descriptive to measure readiness for
self-directed learning among undergraduate students of
Principles and Art of Photography. The study plan involved
gathering of information about learning condition and selfdirected learning readiness from the sample by using the Taro
Yamane’s formula with the simple random sampling and
differences in results in the measurement according to genders
and self-directed learning readiness scores.
2.3 The sample of the study
The subjects of this study was done on the sample
group of 101 (50 males, and 51 females) were from the
Principles and Art of Photography (course CA210) in the
first semester of the 2011 academic years of Communication
Art program at Dhurajit Pandit University, Bangkok,
Thailand.
2.4 Research Instrument
A variety of scales have been developed to measure
readiness for SDL and this study was conducted in 2 stages.
Stage 1 the study instruments were questionnaires of
learning condition involving teachers, preparation, teaching,

3. using the instructional media, measurement and evaluation
and the suggestion in learning development.
Content Validity (Index of Item-Objective Congruency,
IOC) of the checklist of students, characteristics were
validated by three content experts who met the researcher’s
criteria as specialized and had experiences in the field of
education, academics and graduated at Master Degree level.
Next, the researcher conducted a pilot study by using 30
students at Dhurajit Pandit University for utilization of
checklists. Furthermore, the statistical reliability of the
checklist of student, characteristics were confirmed with
Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of internal consistency for the
checklist. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.957.
Stage 2 the study instrument consisted of questionnaires
with 52 items which were adopted Self-directed Learning
Readiness Scale (SDLRS) designed by Lucy Madsen
Guglielmino and amendments to suit the educational
conditions of the undergraduate students in Dhurajit Pundit
University. The Likert scale was used in the questionnaire
namely: 1 as Strongly Disagree, 2 as Disagree, 3 as
Somewhat Agree, 4 as Agree and 5 as Strongly Agree.
Evidence of reliability for the SDLRS was recently reviewed
and summarized. The reported reliability data for internal
consistency were split-half and coefficient alpha between
0.957 and 0.974.
3. Results of the Study
101 random samples of the undergraduate students in
the first semester of the academic year 2011, from Faculty
of Communication Arts at Dhurajit Pundit University, were
the sampling group which used the Taro Yamane’s formula
[13], with the random sampling, the researcher used clear
criteria (e.g., experience and prior knowledge) for selecting
the sample and that should fit to achieve the study.
Table 1 Demographic characteristics of the sample (n = 101)
Demographic
Gender
Males
Females
Experience in Photography
Yes
No
n
%
50
51
49.5
50.5
12
89
11.9
88.1
Table 1 presented the demographic characteristics of the
sample. With respect to gender, there were almost of 51
females and 50 males. Moreover, 88.1% of the students
reported there had no previous experience in photography.
Table 2. Descriptive statistics of total score learning condition level of the Study (n=101)
Factors
Mean
SD
Instructor
4.30
.48
Instructional Activities
.49
.61
High
Instructional Materials and Media
4.16
4.10
Learning Measurement and Evaluation
4.19
.56
High
4.18
.47
High
Total
Interpretation
High
High
Interpretation of the average value shall use the following criteria:Mean score
4.50-5.00
Very High.
Mean score
3.50-4.49
High
Mean score
2.50-3.49
Medium
Mean score
1.50-2.49
Low
Mean score
1.00-1.49
Worst
Table 2 presented learning condition level of the study. The collection data was analyzed through a survey. Total score
learning condition of aspects were at the high level.

4. Table 3 Descriptive statistics of total score self-directed learning readiness of the Study (n=101)
Factors
Open-mindedness for learning
Concept of themselves as efficient learners
Initiative and freedom for learning
Responsibility for self-learning
Passion for learning
Creativity
Optimism about future
Ability to apply learning and problem-solving skills
Total
Mean
4.04
3.84
3.80
3.87
3.94
3.57
3.90
3.92
3.86
SD
.55
.56
.62
.59
.52
.68
.62
.58
.53
Level of learning readiness
High
High
High
High
High
High
High
High
High
Table 3 presented the total score self-directed learning readiness (SDLR) of the students. All eight aspects were at the
high level.
Table 4 Descriptive statistics of comparison of self-directed learning readiness of difference based on gender.
Factors
Open-mindedness for learning
Concept of themselves as efficient learners
Initiative and freedom for learning
Responsibility for self-learning
Passion for learning
Creativity
Optimism about future
Ability to apply learning and problem-solving skills
Total
* p < .05
Males
Mean
SD.
4.06
.53
3.95
.54
3.95
.60
3.95
.62
4.03
.49
3.72
.72
3.94
.61
4.01
.56
3.95
.52
Females
Mean
SD.
4.02
.57
3.73
.56
3.66
.61
3.80
.56
3.86
.55
3.42
.62
3.86
.64
3.83
.59
3.77
.54
Sig.
(2-tailed)
t-test
.723
.045
.014
.231
.106
.019
.511
.110
.087
.636
*2.027
*2.413
1.206
*1.632
*2.379
.651
*1.613
*1.728
Table 4 presented comparison of self-directed learning readiness of difference based on genders. All variables were
measured by frequency variables for demographic data and characteristics variables in order to find out what are the
characteristics of difference based on genders. There is statistical significant difference at level .05,
4. Conclusion
The study showed that learning condition and Selfdirected Learning Readiness (SDLR) for undergraduate
students and the comparison of the opinions with different
gender of faculty of Communication Art students at Dhurajit
Pandit University. The collection data was analyzed to
provide an overview which weren’t have knowledge and
experiences in Photography. The total score learning
condition of aspects were at the high level, but there were
the difficulty in some content of subject and it wasn’t
supported in large group activities learning. The study
results were instructor responsibility to teach, attention,
opportunity, listen to the opinions of students and have
regularly utilized instructional media in the instruction with
reasons for problem-solving and emphasizing facilitation of
learning. Therefore instructor with some optimum
conditions for learning and suggest a facilitating role. The
evaluation was based on both content and learning process
using test items.
The process of self-directed learning and the best ways to
facilitate the skills and attitudes of self-direction in learn. The
data was collected by the questionnaires based on Guglilmino’s
Self-directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS) and the
amendments suit the educational conditions of the
undergraduate students. The study revealed that the
undergraduate students of Communication Arts, were at a
high level. Durr, R., L. M.Guglielmino and P. J. Guglielmino
[14] suggested high level of readiness in self-directed learning
is important to make effective use of self-directed learning.
Besides, the comparison differences gender of opinions
among the self-directed learning readiness, were statistical
significant difference at level .05.
5. References
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