A proposal of a teacher-supported learning model for improving self-directed learning skills of primary school students

The main purpose of this study was to determine self-directed learning (SDL) skills of students attending 1st to 4th grades in primary school and to develop a teacher-supported model for improving their SDL skills. The study was designed as a participatory action research. It consists of two stages pre-implementation and implementation of the action research. In the first phase of first stage, grade teachers working at elementary schools teaching 1st to 5th grades were interviewed about how they described SDL and what they do to develop their students' SDL skills. In second phase, lessons taught in grades between 1st and 4th at primary schools were observed for determining teachers' practices for developing their students' SDL skills and SDL skills that students' already had. In third phase, teachers of 1st to 4th grades in primary school and parents of students attending these grades were interviewed about how they described SDL, what they do to develop students' SDL skills, what problems impeded the development of these skills and what can be done to develop these skills. Students' attending 1st to 4th grades in primary school also were interviewed for determining their opinion about what SDL was and what SDL skills they had. In light of the findings obtained from interviews and observations of first stage of the research, a list of SDL skills was formed. This list consists of two dimensions named SDL readiness skills and SDL implementing skills. These findings also revealed that students' have most difficulty in SDL readiness skills. Considering these findings, it was decided to implement the intervention for improving SDL readiness skills of students in the second stage of the study. The intervention was implemented to 4th grade students' class for seven weeks. Data was collected through both qualitative and quantitative resources, which are questionnaire formed from open-ended questions, semi-structured interviews, work sheets, observation forms, video records, audio records of intervention and validity and reliability committee, field notes, lesson plans, researcher journal and self-evaluation form of SDL skills. Findings obtained from data analysis of second stage of the study revealed that students' usage of SDL readiness skills were increased during the intervention. During implementation process, students use the assessment of learning needs and the management of learning resources skills more easily than other SDL readiness skills. The setting of learning goals skills were the skills that students had most difficulty. In addition, the management of learning resources and communication skills were used by students during entire intervention including the weeks that these skills were not aimed to be developed. Data obtained from interviews with students and class teacher at the end of the intervention also revealed that the intervention was effective on developing students' SDL skills. Based on findings obtained from the pre-implementation and implementation process of the action research, teacher-supported SDL model was developed for primary school students attending 1st to 4th grades. This model was formed from two components named implementing conditions and dimensions of model. Implementing conditions are the initial usage level of SDL skills, support of teachers and parents and the learning environment consist of both in and out of the school. Dimensions of model are SDL readiness cognitive skills, SDL readiness affective skills and SDL implementing skills. SDL affective skills are taking one's own learning responsibility, willingness to learn and valuing to learn. SDL readiness cognitive skills are assessment of learning needs, setting learning goals, management of learning resources and communication skills. The SDL implementation skills are using learning strategies, collaborative learning, critical thinking, creative thinking, problem solving, inquiry, self-evaluation and peer-evaluation skills.