Self-regulated Learning in Doctor of Physical Therapy Students

Abstract

There is a paucity of adult professional education literature, yet there are multiple theories and models from which to extrapolate information regarding learning in this population, including self-regulated learning theory and adult learning models. The first aim of this study was to explore these bodies of literature and provide a compelling argument for how these theories and models may be considered relative to each other. The second aim of this study was to provide empirical support for the theoretical framework within the professional education population, specifically for Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students. Participants included 232 DPT students from a large, research-intensive university in the mid-Atlantic region. The Self-directed Learning Readiness Survey for Nursing Education (SDLRSNE) (Fisher, King, & Tague, 2001) was administered to five cohorts of students seven times throughout the duration of the DPT program. T-tests and ANOVAs were conducted to determine cohort differences. The data were collapsed across time in order to generate longitudinal growth curve models. Results revealed that the SDLRSNE is an internally consistent tool to utilize with DPT students and that the majority of DPT students were self-regulated learners. Results from the growth curve models indicated that self-regulated learning increased across time, was discontinuous within the DPT program, and that participation in clinical education experiences coincided with the change in slope of the model that best fit the data. Additionally, results indicated that the age of a student (traditional: age 19-24 versus nontraditional: age 25+) significantly predicted Desire For Learning subscale scores.