Abstract:

Self-directed learning skills and self-efficacy are very important in the learning process. The study aimed to investigate the relationship between secondary school students’ self-directed learning in science and technology class and self-efficacy towards science learning and the effects of some factors (gender, age, grade, parental profession, and income level) on these variables. 363 secondary school students participated in the study. In the study, data was collected administering Self Direct Learning Scale toward Science and Technology Course and Self Efficacy Scale towards Science and Technology. The descriptive survey model one of the quantitative survey methods was used in the research. Students’ self directed learning skills towards science and technology class were found to be significantly different among students according to gender and the difference was in favor of the female students. Findings revealed that self-directed learning skills of the students increased as the grade level increased. When the variation of the students' self-efficacy according to the class level was examined, it was seen that the 8th-graders' self-efficacy was lower than the students in the lower grades. Findings displayed that as income level increased, students’ self-directed learning skills and self-efficacy level increased, and students’ whose parents were teacher self-directed learning and self-efficacy levels were higher than the other students. When the relationship between students' self-directed learning skills and science self-efficacy was examined, it was seen that there is a linear, positive and strong relation between self-efficacy and self-directed learning abilities.

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