Technical university students’ readiness for sustainable learning in terms of self-directed learning

¹ Institute for Humanities Education, Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University, 38 Lenin Ave., Magnitogorsk, 455000, Russian Federation
² Institute of Natural Science and Standardization, Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University, 38 Lenin Ave., Magnitogorsk, 455000, Russian Federation
³ Admiral Ushakov Maritime State University, 93 Lenin Ave., Novorossiysk, 353924, Russian Federation

^* Corresponding author: Romanov-magu@mail.ru

Abstract

The article analyzes the readiness of technical university students for sustainable learning in terms of self-oriented learning based on the conducted research data. The authors conducted a respondents’ survey, in which they studied the technical university students’ perception of the self-oriented learning basic indicators. The obtained data analysis showed how the technical university students understand and develop their readiness for self-oriented learning. The results of the research work confirm that the technical university students are ready for sustainable learning partially. Despite the fact that the technical university students have the necessary digital competencies for effective participation in the learning process, the data obtained indicate the tendency of the technical university students to procrastinate in the learning process. The authors of the research work noted the importance of transformative learning in the sustainable development of the technical university students, analysed possible lack of time management skills problems and tendency to procrastination, which may have been contributed by the high level of stress caused by the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the unplanned transition to online learning. In recent decades, higher education has increasingly focused on student self-orientation. Self-oriented learning is effective only if the technical university students are capable of self-oriented learning. Self-oriented students are able not only to manage their own learning, but also to take responsibility, understand and realize the significance of learning and cognitively control their learning. A facilitator is able to help learners become fully self-directed online learners.