Greetings, if you need to research self-directed learning, I suggest comparing pedagogical and andragogical insights concerning self-directed learning and how age determines/influences the impact of MOOCs. You can maybe find some interesting material in this paper : Preprint El Futuro de los Cursos Abiertos Masivos en Línea

If I understand your question well, to answer this, one must know the condition/progress of the literature review, the knowledge up to this point, what is and missing. For example, the researchers didn't consider the time limits variable or self-motivation variable when measuring or testing hypotheses. But, if your question is aimed at finding the gap in self-directed learning, there are plenty of them on the net (training issues, the choose of learning content, time limits, motivation, narrowed interest etc.)

Title:

The Impact of Digital Learning Tools on Student Engagement in Higher Education: A Case Study Approach

Methodology:

• Approach: Qualitative case study
• Data Collection:

1). Conduct semi-structured interviews with students and faculty. 2). Analyze student performance data before and after using digital tools. 3). Observe classroom interactions in hybrid and online courses.

Expected Outcomes:

• Insights into the effectiveness of digital tools in education.
• Recommendations for faculty to optimize digital learning integration.
• Identification of challenges and areas for improvement in digital education.