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Blended Learning (BL) creates a ‘rich’ educational environment with multiple technology-enabled communication forms in both face-to-face and online teaching. Students’ characteristics are closely related to the learning effectiveness in the BL environment. Students’ ability to direct themselves in learning and to utilise learning technologies can affect student learning effectiveness. This study examined the impacts of self-directed learning, technology readiness, and learning motivation on the three presences (social, teaching, cognitive) among students undertaking subjects in BL and non-BL (NBL) settings. The results indicated that the BL environment provides good facilitation for students’ social involvement in the class. Student technology readiness plays a stronger role in impacting the teaching presence in a BL environment than NBL environment. These findings imply that a proper BL setting creates a cohesive community and enhances collaborations between students. Prior training of learning technologies can potentially enhance students’ teaching presence.

Self-directed learning is a fundamental competence for adults living in our modern world, where social contextual conditions are changing rapidly, especially in a digital age. The purpose of the present article is to review key issues concerning self-directed learning in terms of (1) what are the historical foundations of the selfdirected learning concept?; (2) who may benefit from self-directed learning?; (3) who is likely to carry it out?; and (4) what does research show regarding outcomes of the self-directed learning process? The author takes into consideration humanistic philosophy, pragmatic philosophy and constructivist epistemology, which together concern a process of learning that is individual, purposeful and developmental. Potentially everyone can benefit from self-directed learning competence, but both societal and individual factors may influence whether self-directed learning is likely to be carried out. The author discusses a number of empirical studies that examine outcomes of the self-directed learning process in informal/non-formal online contexts and in formal educational settings. Research findings highlight the importance of realising the opportunity to foster learners' self-directed learning competence in formal educational settings. L'auto-apprentissage, une compétence indispensable dans un monde en rapide mutation - L'apprentissage auto-dirigé est une compétence décisive pour les adultes de notre monde moderne, où les contextes sociaux évoluent constamment, en particulier à l'ère du numérique. Le présent article poursuit le but de recenser les grandes questions sur l'apprentissage auto-dirigé : 1) Quelles sont les bases historiques du concept d'auto-apprentissage ? 2) Qui peut tirer profit de auto-apprentissage ? 3) Qui est susceptible de l'accomplir ? 4) Que révèle la recherche sur les résultats de la démarche d'auto-apprentissage ? L'auteur prend en considération la philosophie humaniste, la philosophie pragmatique et l'épistémologie construedviste, qui ensemble affectent une démarche d'apprentissage individuelle, intentionnelle et évolutive. Toute personne peut potentiellement tirer profit de la compétence en auto-apprentissage, mais des facteurs individuels et sociétaux peuvent influencer la probabilité que l'auto-apprentissage soit accompli. L'auteur analyse plusieurs études empiriques qui examinent les résultats de la démarche d'auto-apprentissage, à la fois dans des contextes en ligne non formels et informels et dans des cadres éducatifs formels. Les résultats scientifiques signalent l'importance de créer des opportunités de stimuler la compétence en auto-apprentissage dans les cadres éducatifs formels.

A widely advocated idea in education is that people learn better when the flow of experience is under their control (i.e., learning is self-directed). However, the reasons why volitional control might result in superior acquisition and the limits to such advantages remain poorly understood. In this article, we review the issue from both a cognitive and computational perspective. On the cognitive side, self-directed learning allows individuals to focus effort on useful information they do not yet possess, can expose information that is inaccessible via passive observation, and may enhance the encoding and retention of materials. On the computational side, the development of efficient \"active learning\" algorithms that can select their own training data is an emerging research topic in machine learning. This review argues that recent advances in these related fields may offer a fresh theoretical perspective on how people gather information to support their own learning.

To investigate the mediating role of resilience and academic motivation between academic stress and self-directed learning. Academic stress in nursing students is a well-reported concept that affects resilience, academic motivation and self-directed learning. However, there is a dearth of studies investigating the mediating role of resilience and academic motivation between academic stress and self-directed learning. Cross-sectional study and mediation analysis. Nursing students (n = 718) were recruited from five nursing schools via convenience sampling. Four self-report scales (Perception of Academic Stress Scale, Connor and Davidson Resilience Scale, Short Academic Motivation Scale and Self-directed Learning Instrument) were used to collect data from August to December 2022. Pearson’s r, bivariate analysis and multistage regression analyses were employed to analyze the data. Academic stress negatively influences nursing students' resilience, academic motivation and self-directed learning. Resilience and academic motivation have a positive impact on self-directed learning. Resilience and academic motivation mediate the relationship between academic stress and self-directed learning, as evidenced by a reduction in the negative impacts of academic stress on nursing students. Resilience and academic motivation, as mediators, reduce the effects of academic stress on self-directed learning. Nursing educators and administrators should promote programs that strengthen resilience and academic motivation. Thus, improving educational and clinical performance.

Professional nursing values are important concepts in developing the identity of nursing professional among nursing students. Self-directed learning as an ability can drive motivation to enhance professional nursing values and merits examination. This study aimed to examine the associations between self-directed learning and professional nursing values in nursing students. A cross-sectional descriptive design was employed with a sample of 800 nursing students. The measurement tools were the Self-Rating Scale of Self-Directed Learning and Korean version of the Nurses Professional Values Scale-Revised. Path analysis was used to evaluate relationships among self-directed learning, professional nursing values, and general participant characteristics. Self-directed learning had significantly positive effects on professional nursing values. Male nursing students were more likely to have higher levels of self-directed learning. Our findings suggest that self-directed learning can be an effective pedagogical method to instill and reinforce professional nursing values in nursing students. In addition, nursing educators should consider sex differences in the learning styles of nursing students. •Self-directed learning had positive effects on professional nursing values.•Satisfaction with the nursing major had positive effects on professional nursing values.•Male nursing students tended to have higher levels of self-directed learning.

Developing communicative ability of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners is essential when it comes to authentic learning. Nevertheless, conventional textbook usage and English instruction often fail to be learner-engaging. With the help of high-immersion Virtual Reality (VR), language learning can be transformed into a more self-directed learning experience, using a simulated authentic environment to enhance engagement. Therefore. a three-dimensional learning system. Virtual Reality Life English (VRLE), was developed to provide learners with an authentic setting to facilitate communicative ability development. Seventy-two low-achieving junior high school students were recruited as participants. Multiple data sources were collected for both quantitative and qualitative data analysis of VRLE, including a pre-test/post-test addressing communicative performance, an Igroup Presence Questionnaire (IPQ) for the students' perception of perceived presence, and a semi-structured interview. The primary affordances were the beneficial application of VRLE to English communicative ability and an enhanced sense of presence in an EFL context. Furthermore, the students were positive about the learning experience. The study proves the potential of incorporating high-immersion VR technology in an EFL context. Nevertheless, the challenge of its accessibility needs careful consideration in future research to place VR in an advantageous position for language learning.

Basic life support (BLS) education is essential for improving bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) rates, but the imparting of such education faces obstacles during the outbreak of emerging infectious diseases, such as COVID-19. When face-to-face teaching is limited, distance learning-blended learning (BL) or an online-only model-is encouraged. However, evidence regarding the effect of online-only CPR training is scarce, and comparative studies on classroom-based BL (CBL) are lacking. While other strategies have recommended self-directed learning and deliberate practice to enhance CPR education, no previous studies have incorporated all of these instructional methods into a BLS course. This study aimed to demonstrate a novel BLS training model-remote practice BL (RBL)-and compare its educational outcomes with those of the conventional CBL model. A static-group comparison study was conducted. It included RBL and CBL courses that shared the same paradigm, comprising online lectures, a deliberate practice session with Little Anne quality CPR (QCPR) manikin feedback, and a final assessment session. In the main intervention, the RBL group was required to perform distant self-directed deliberate practice and complete the final assessment via an online video conference. Manikin-rated CPR scores were measured as the primary outcome; the number of retakes of the final examination was the secondary outcome. A total of 52 and 104 participants from the RBL and CBL groups, respectively, were eligible for data analysis. A comparison of the 2 groups revealed that there were more women in the RBL group than the CBL group (36/52, 69.2% vs 51/104, 49%, respectively; P=.02). After adjustment, there were no significant differences in scores for QCPR release (96.9 vs 96.4, respectively; P=.61), QCPR depth (99.2 vs 99.5, respectively; P=.27), or QCPR rate (94.9 vs 95.5, respectively; P=.83). The RBL group spent more days practicing before the final assessment (12.4 vs 8.9 days, respectively; P<.001) and also had a higher number of retakes (1.4 vs 1.1 times, respectively; P<.001). We developed a remote practice BL-based method for online-only distant BLS CPR training. In terms of CPR performance, using remote self-directed deliberate practice was not inferior to the conventional classroom-based instructor-led method, although it tended to take more time to achieve the same effect. Not applicable.

In this article, we present an analytical approach that focuses on how transnational and translingual learners mobilize their multilingual, multimodal, and multisemiotic repertoires, as well as their learning and work experiences, as resources in language learning. The approach is that of translanguaging, which seeks to push the boundaries not only between different named languages but also between different modalities and across language scripts and writing systems. We base our arguments on a study of self-directed learning of Chinese via online platforms in the context of mobility and aim to demonstrate the transformative capacity of translanguaging. In doing so, we highlight the need for a transdisciplinary approach to language learning that transcends the boundaries between linguistics, psychology, and education, and in particular, the need to go beyond the artificial divides of the different modalities of language learning to strengthen the connections between research on bilingualism and multilingualism and research on language teaching and learning.

This study aims to investigate nursing students’ perspectives on virtual reality technologies and their self-directed learning skills, specifically focusing on how these variables interact and influence each other in the context of nursing education. We also discern potential disparities in these skills based on descriptive characteristics, using both traditional statistical and advanced machine learning approaches for a comprehensive analysis. Rapid developments in technology, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic, have brought virtual reality technologies to the forefront of nursing education. However, there is a gap in understanding how nursing students’ perceptions of these technological relate to their development of self-directed learning skills. A descriptive and cross-sectional study design is employed to both quantify nursing students’ perspectives on virtual reality in their education and assess their self-directed learning skills. This approach integrates traditional statistical methods with advanced machine learning techniques, with the intention of offering a comprehensive and nuanced analysis to inform future teaching strategies in nursing. The study used a blend of survey scales and a tree-based machine learning model to measure and analyze nursing students’ views, attitudes and self-directed learning levels. This dual approach allows for a more detailed assessment of the factors influencing self-directed learning abilities. Traditional statistical techniques were also applied to assess the reliability of the machine learning findings. Findings reveal that nursing students generally held positive views towards virtual reality technologies and exhibited a high level of self-directed learning skills. Notable differences in self-directed learning skills were influenced by gender on the overall scale (p <0.001), with male students scoring higher than their female counterparts in both specific sub-dimensions and on the overall scale, but not by academic year. The machine learning analysis provided deeper insights into these variations, highlighting subtle distinctions in student demographics that traditional statistical methods did not fully capture. The study offers valuable insights into interconnected nature of nursing students’ views on virtual reality technologies and their self-directed learning skills. The results support the integration of virtual reality in nursing curriculum programs and underscore the importance of customizing teaching strategies based on insights gained from machine learning analyses. This approach has the potential to substantially improve both the learning experience and the overall quality of nursing education.

Purpose The accelerated digital transformation and the growing emphasis on privacy, safety and security present ongoing challenges for cybersecurity experts. Alongside these challenges, the multidisciplinary, everchanging and complex nature of the cybersecurity domain has further challenged the acquisition and retention of cybersecurity talent. Empowering reskilling and upskilling in cybersecurity necessitates efficacious educational endeavours which promote self-confidence and foster a growth mindset. The purpose of this paper is to highlight that cultivating self-efficacy in cybersecurity education can help promote competency development and effectively address the prominent skills gaps. This notion applies equally to both aspiring individuals pursuing a career in cybersecurity and professionals in the field who may wish to better articulate the skills they already possess, the skills they lack and newly surfacing skills that need to be developed. Design/methodology/approach The study discusses the imminent need for adopting a “skills-first” approach in cybersecurity and explores innovative pedagogies and professional frameworks that can inform and frame such an approach. Subsequently, a critical analysis of the importance of self-efficacy towards motivating and supporting upskilling in cybersecurity is performed. A case study is presented, expanding the authors’ previous work on cybersecurity professional development, to demonstrate the mediating role that self-efficacy can play in developing core cybersecurity competencies. The case study presents the design of a new cybersecurity curriculum in the context of postgraduate, synchronous distance cybersecurity education, and it is utilised as a basis to discuss how the proposed curriculum cultivates self-efficacy attitudes. Findings A skills-first approach is becoming the new norm in contemporary workplaces. This work highlights the importance of actively nurturing self-efficacy attitudes through innovative cybersecurity curricula that can be tailored to the learners’ needs, instigating a drive for learning and, ultimately, helping learners effectively upskilling by portraying a self-directed learning path and a professional growth mindset in cybersecurity. Originality/value The authors present the importance of cultivating self-efficacy in higher and lifelong education to foster reskilling and upskilling in cybersecurity. An innovative cybersecurity curriculum was constructed and delivered with a group of learners demonstrating how self-efficacy can be leveraged through interactive, reflective and self-assessment educational activities that enhanced motivation and self-awareness, curiosity, attention to detail and resilience – key skills for a successful career in cybersecurity.