Further studies in self-directed learning in physics at the University of Limerick, Ireland

This article reports on two SDL studies of undergraduate physics students and postgraduate; science students at the University of Limerick, Ireland. Initial studies (McCauley and; McClelland, 2001) indicated that the majority of undergraduate physics students are ‘average’ and; ‘below’ in their readiness to self-direct their learning. Our further investigations lend credence; and further support these findings. Results also indicate that small interventions of the nature; described here are not successful in evoking large changes, yet they are successful in the; exploration of change. The authors propose that an intervention on a much greater scale is; warranted, throughout not only the full course, but, in time, across all courses, which all play a; part in forming students’ models of learning.