Effect of Self-Directed Learning on the Components of Reading Comprehension

Research shows a positive relationship between self-directed learning (SDL) andreading comprehension. The present quasi-experimental study attempted to expandthe scope of SDL by investigating its effect on the components of readingcomprehension. Sixty high school students took the reading comprehension part ofPET as the pretest and the posttest. Over 16 weeks, the experimental group,consisting of 30 students, underwent instruction in SDL. Data from the pretest wasanalyzed using an independent samples t test. Results [t(1.158 = 0.157, p > 0.87)]indicated that the 2 groups were homogeneous before the treatment. After thetreatment, the data from the posttest were analyzed using a one-way between-groupsMANOVA. Results between the 2 groups on the combined dependent variables[F(5,54) = 0.72), p = .61], Wilk’s Lambda= .93, and partial eta squared =.06displayed no significant difference, and this may be due the fact that SDL is notcompatible with Iran’s system of education.