THE ANALYSIS OF SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING IN ENHANCING WRITING SKILLS AMONG FIFTH SEMESTER STUDENTS OF ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AT UNIVERSITAS MUHAMMADIYAH OF PONOROGO

Aisyah Nika O.S 2026.The Analysis of Self-Directed Learning in Enhancing Writing Skills among Fifth Semester Students of English Education Department at Universitas Muhammadiyah of Ponorogo. Thesis. Department of English Education, Muhammadiyah University of Ponorogo. Advisor 1: Dr. Bambang Harmanto, M.Pd., Advisor 2: Dr. Dyah Atiek Mustikawati, S.Pd., M.Hum.
This study aims to: (1) analyze how fifth-semester students of the English Education Department at Universitas Muhammadiyah Ponorogo apply Self-Directed Learning (SDL) in developing their academic writing skills; (2) analyze the challenges students encounter in academic writing and the Self-Directed Learning strategies they use to overcome those challenges; and (3) analyze how students apply Self-Directed Learning strategies in enhancing their academic writing development.
This study employed a descriptive qualitative approach. The participants were fifth-semester students of the English Education Department at Universitas Muhammadiyah Ponorogo in the 2024/2025 academic year. The participants were selected using purposive sampling based on the research criteria. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews to obtain in-depth information about the participants' experiences, learning strategies, and challenges in applying Self-Directed Learning during the academic writing process. The collected data were analyzed using the interactive model of Miles and Huberman (1994), which consists of data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification.
The findings show that the participants demonstrated the five aspects of Self-Directed Learning in developing their academic writing skills: initiative and planning, self-awareness and problem solving, goal setting and personal targets, learning resources and technology, and self-monitoring and evaluation. The participants independently searched for academic references, prepared writing outlines, managed their writing schedules, utilized digital tools such as Google Scholar, Grammarly, and artificial intelligence (AI), and continuously reviewed and revised their writing before submitting their assignments. The findings also reveal that the participants encountered several challenges, including difficulties in grammar, developing ideas, organizing writing structure, selecting appropriate theories and research methodology, identifying errors independently, and managing time during the writing process. To address these challenges, the participants applied various Self-Directed Learning strategies, such as consulting lecturers and peers, searching for additional academic references, learning from journal articles, and utilizing technological tools to support their writing.
Keywords: Self-Directed Learning, Academic Writing, Writing Development, Learning Strategies, Writing Challenges.