Self-directed learning and personal learning environments in Costa Rica university students

Abstract

The rapid emergence of new technologies and increasingly widespread access to the internet promote the massive use of ICT. Thus, building and developing personal learning environments (PLEs) provides the skills required to self-direct the learning process. The objective of this study is to analyse how university students in Costa Rica in their final year of study perceive self-directed learning, and to evaluate the relationship between PLEs and academic performance. A non-experimental and transactional cor-relational approach was used. A questionnaire with different scales was applied to a stratified probabilistic sample (n = 1187) of students on 51 study programs at the Universidad Nacional. The results show a high level of acceptance of self-directed learning. However, although a great desire to learn and a high degree of self-control were identified, the student body requires more guidance in acquiring skills surrounding self-management in learning. At the same time, a slight and positive relationship between this educational approach and the PLE was noted. Last, significant differences were seen in the student body’s academic performance depending on their response to self-directed learning.