A Factor Analysis of the Distance Education Surveys "Is Online Learning Right for Me?" and "What Technical Skills Do I Need?"

Autor/in	Hall, Michael C.
Titel	A Factor Analysis of the Distance Education Surveys "Is Online Learning Right for Me?" and "What Technical Skills Do I Need?"
Quelle	In: Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 10 (2009) 4, S.339-345 (7 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1528-3518
Schlagwörter	Electronic Learning; Distance Education; Online Courses; Predictive Validity; Scoring; Factor Analysis; Internet; School Holding Power; Predictive Measurement; Readiness; Community Colleges; Evaluation Research; Virtual Classrooms; Web Based Instruction; Student Surveys; Questionnaires; College Instruction; Academic Advising; Student Personnel Services; Test Reliability; Test Validity; Test Selection; Screening Tests; College Students + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Distance study; Distance learning; Fernunterricht; Online course; Online-Kurs; Bewertung; Faktorenanalyse; Community college; Community College; Evaluationsforschung; Web Based Training; Schülerbefragung; Fragebogen; Hochschullehre; Akademischer Rat; Testreliabilität; Testvalidität; Testauswahl; Screening-Verfahren; Collegestudent
Abstract	This article presents the results of a factor analysis on the distance education surveys "Is Online Learning Right for Me?" and "What Technical Skills Do I Need?" Both surveys are 15-question, forced response, self-scoring guides that have face validity for individual traits and skills believed to contribute to potential success in an Internet-based course. Each response is assigned a numerical value. A total score is calculated by summing the individual question scores. The survey is designed such that the higher the total score, the greater the presumption for success in a distance education course. The results from this study support the earlier conclusion by Hall (2008) that the two surveys "Is Online Learning Right for Me?" and "What Technical Skills Do I Need?" have low predictive validity. Although many of the items listed on these surveys have face validity with regard to traits and skills needed for success in distance education, the lack of internal reliability and predictive validity should be a consideration for institutions considering the use of these surveys for counseling or dispensing advice. However, the rising use of the Internet for instructional delivery, coupled with the desire to improve student retention, continues to generate a need for a viable prediction instrument for advising students considering distance education courses. (Contains 3 tables.) (ERIC).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10