Deep and rapid changes in a "high-tech" society exceed the ability of formal educational systems to respond to new learning needs. Therefore, the future of post secondary education will increasingly include emphases on self-directed learning skills and activities. Despite recognition of such a trend, knowledge of self-directed learning and self-directed learners is in its infancy.
This study-of self-directed learning and performance was designed to determine the relationship of self-directed learning readiness and performance in an occupational setting. Business, government and industry are expected to depend heavily upon self-directed learning in the future. Because of the increasingly close relationship between education and these sectors of the economy, educators should have a keen interest in this kind of research.
The sample included 753 individuals selected from the population of a large American utility company: 421 were managers and 318 were non-managers; 14 subjects did not define their occupational status. Subjects provided information on their management level, sex, age, education, race, job performance rating, creativity required on their jobs, problem-solving ability needed in their jobs and degree of change in their work. Nine hypotheses were tested at the 0.05 level of significance.
Selected conclusions are as follows: (a) outstanding performers in jobs requiring a very high level of creativity had significantly higher SDLRS scores than others; (b) outstanding performers in jobs requiring a very high degree of problem-solving skill had significantly higher SDLRS scores than others; and (c) individuals who have completed higher levels of education tend to have higher SDLRS scores.
Rapidly changing knowledge and technology calls for revision of educational concepts. It is increasingly obvious that education of a preparatory or preemployment nature is inadequate in today's changing economy and social conditions. Individuals must become continuing learners. The report of the Fourth International Conference on Adult Education includes the conclusion that "basic education can by no means anticipate vigorous technological and social development; ... therefore, lifelong education is absolutely necessary (UNESCO, 1985, p. 54)." In Re-Inventing the Corporation, Naisbitt and Aburdene assert that an individual's best preparation for the future is to learn how to learn. "In a world that is constantly changing," they point out, "there is no one subject or set of subjects that will serve you for the foreseeable future, let alone for the rest of your life" (1985, p. 133). Since group-based instruction