Adaptation and Validation of a Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale for Advanced Level Students in Sri Lanka: SL-SDLRS-AL

Abstract

This study aimed to adapt and validate a contextually relevant Self- Directed Learning Readiness scale (SDLRS) for advanced-level students in Sri Lanka. Drawing from three widely recognized SDLRSs: SDLRSNE (Fisher et al., 2001), SRSSDL (Williamson, 2007), and DSVS- SDLR (Dulloo et al., 2023), a 46- item preliminary scale was developed, encompassing five dimensions: Awareness, Learning Strategies and Styles, Motivation, Team Building, and Evaluation. Content validity was established through a two-round Delphi process. In Round One, 14 experts evaluated the items, resulting in the exclusion of one item for failing to reach the 80% consensus threshold and 14 items based on qualitative feedback. In Round Two, eight experts assessed the remaining 31 items for relevance and clarity. Item. I-CVI were calculated by dividing the number of experts rating an item as relevant by the total number of experts, with a threshold of ≥ 0.78. All items met this threshold, achieving an I-CVI of 1.00. The S-CVI was S- CVI/Ave = 1.00 and S-CVI/UA = 1.00, confirming excellent content validity. Consensus was achieved as all experts independently rated the items as relevant, with no re-rating required. Subsequently, a pilot study was conducted with 64 students from five academic streams across two educational zones in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. The preliminary 31-item scale demonstrated strong internal consistency (α = .848). Two items were removed due to item-total correlations below 0.30, resulting in a finalized 29-item scale, which maintained strong internal consistency (α = .853). Construct validity was initially evaluated using item-total correlations as a preliminary check, with all retained items exceeding the 0.30 threshold, indicating acceptable alignment with their respective dimensions. These findings support the SL-SDLRS-AL as a valid and reliable tool for assessing SDLR among advanced-level students in Sri Lanka. The instrument offers practical implications for educators and researchers aiming to enhance autonomous learning capabilities in advanced-level education.