SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING USING THE QUADRIPARTITE CYCLEOF STRUCTURATION – A DESCRIPTIVE CASE STUDY

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to explore how the internal elements and external conditions of learners shape their Self-Directed Learning (SDL). Notably, only a limited number of empirical studies have examined how learners interact between their internal and external structures within SDL environments. Accordingly, this study has employed the quadripartite cycle of structuration as a theoretical framework to analyze and describe the dynamic interplay between learners’ internal and external structures within the SDL context.

Methodology – A qualitative case study approach was employed. The study focused on a 15-year-old learner enrolled in an SDL school in Malaysia. Four semi-structured interviews, as well as informal interviews with the learner’s parent and facilitator were conducted. Documents related to the subject’s self-directed learning were collected to enhance validity and reliability. A constant comparison approach was used to analyze these data.  

Finding – The SDL school’s structured guides scaffold the participant’s SDL, providing essential support and resources. Over time, the participant shifted focus to internal structures, driven by his interest, motivation, and a sense of satisfaction, while mirroring strategies learned from the structured guides to direct his own learning. This study illustrates how the participant interacted between his internal and external structures that helped shape his actions in SDL.

Significance – This study provides insights into how a self-directed learner interacts between his internal and external structures in his SDL journey. It advances our understanding of the relationship between self-direction and structures. It also informs a set of flexible structures and guidance for educators, curriculum designers, and policymakers to consider when creating environments that balance learner autonomy with the necessary scaffolding.