The relationship between self-directed learning and students' social interaction in the online learning environment

In the online learning environment, learners play an important role in attaining successful learning. Considering the students' self-directed learning is important to university because of online learning is done in unlimited space and time. Through online mode, the learners do the social interaction. The interaction in online learning is categorized into four dimensions namely the interaction between the teachers and students, students and students, teachers and topic, and students and topic. This study emphasized the relationship between self-directed learning and students' social interaction in the online learning environment. Statistical associations between variables were inspected with parametric correlation and statistically significant differences between independent samples were examined with a one-way analysis of variance. This study showed a significant relationship between students' self-directed learning readiness (SDLR) and their social interaction, and there were different social interactions between students based on their SDLR levels.