Development and Validation of an Instrument to Identify Self-Directed Continuing Learners

This study sought to describe the personality characteristics of self-directed continuing learners, develop an instrument to identify such learners, and conduct empirical investigations to validate the instrument. Dimensions of the self-directed continuing learner's personality were developed and then used in the construction of an item pool. Prepilot and pilot study results provided the basis for refining the items into a 24-item instrument. When administered to a sample of 271 graduate students, the instrument demonstrated an internal consistency of .87 and a test-retest reliability of .89. Estimates of construct validity were obtained through correlation of scores with measures of educational participation, adult intelligence, self-confidence, endurance, and affiliation; results suggest the instrument is a valid tool for identifying self-directed continuing learners when used in its entirety.