Perceptions of Self-directed Learning among Preclinical Medical Students at Universiti Teknologi MARA

Self-directed learning (SDL) is an important aspect of lifelong learning. Medical knowledge is constantly changing, so, medical students need good SDL abilities to ensure improvement in their academic performance and future work service. This study aimed to evaluate the perceptions of SDL abilities among preclinical medical students at Universiti Teknologi MARA and identify the factors that motivated or discouraged them to undertake SDL. A validated 20-item SDL instrument (SDLI) was used to assess the SDL abilities of the students. They were also asked to respond to open-ended questions about the influencing factors in implementing SDL. The 232 respondents were comprised of Year 1 and Year 2 medical students. The mean SDLI scores of the respondents were higher than those obtained in other studies using the same instrument, indicating these respondents had good SDL abilities. No significant differences in SDLI scores were identified in terms of gender, academic background, or academic year. Important promoting factors for implementing SDL reports included guidance from lecturers or faculty, as well as support from friends and family. Distractions from current technology and social media were listed as significant discouraging factors for implementing SDL. The influencing factors reported in this study should assist the faculty in designing appropriate teaching-learning activities that guide and support SDL.