Harnessing Student Self-Directed Learning to Guide Competency-Based Curriculum

With the shift in focus from content to competency in the nursing curriculum, students must self-direct learning to achieve mastery. Self-directed learning (SDL), an educational concept and instructional modality, is linked to student and professional attributes. Entry-level nursing students were recruited to participate in a quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study to assess SDL readiness prior to curriculum revision. Thirty-three percent of participants had low readiness for SDL (n = 155); age had a statistically significant effect, with students ages 25 and younger reporting lower readiness. Assessing student SDL readiness allows faculty to harness this approach and guide competency-based curriculum reform.