Abstract
The purpose of this study was to develop an effective instrument to measure student readiness in online learning with reliable predictors of online learning success factors such as learning outcomes and learner satisfaction. The validity and reliability of the Student Online Learning Readiness (SOLR) instrument were tested using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and reliability analysis. Twenty items from three competencies–social competencies, communication competencies, and technical competencies–were designated for the initial instrument based on the Student Online Learning Readiness (SOLR) Model as a new conceptual model. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) revealed that four factor-structures of the instrument of student readiness in online learning explained 66.69% of the variance in the pattern of relationships among the items. All four factors had high reliabilities (all at or above Cronbach’s α > .823). Twenty items remained in the final questionnaire after deleting two items which cross-loaded on multiple factors (social competencies with classmates: five items; social competencies with instructor: five items; communication competencies: four items; and technical competencies: six items). The four-factor structure of the Student Online Learning Readiness (SOLR) instrument has been confirmed through this study. Educators can use the Student Online Learning Readiness (SOLR) instrument in order to gain a better understanding of the level of freshmen college students’ online learning readiness by measuring their social, communication, and technical competencies. In addition, this study examined two factors of social integration in Tinto’s Student Integration Model (SIM) and has introduced the Student Online Learning Readiness (SOLR) conceptual model with the purpose of extending Tinto’s social integration model to online learning environments.
Highlights
Online learning has become a large part of higher education (Anderson, 2014; Duck & Parente, 2014; Kim, 2011)
Twenty items remained in the final questionnaire after deleting two item which cross-loaded on multiple factors
The four-factor structure of the Student Online Learning Readiness (SOLR) instrument has been confirmed through this study
Summary
Online learning has become a large part of higher education (Anderson, 2014; Duck & Parente, 2014; Kim, 2011). Students who take online courses for the first time tend to feel lonely and socially isolated because they are new to the online learning environment and because they are not familiar with online learning communities (Cho, Shen, & Laffey, 2010; McInnerney & Roberts, 2004) This feeling of social isolation has a significant relationship with distance student attrition (Ali & Leeds, 2009; Link & Scholtz, 2000; Reio & Crim, 2006). It is important to offer distance learners additional forms of support in order to ensure successful online learning experiences (Watulak, 2012; Zawacki-Richter, 2004) In this manner, it becomes possible to improve student retention rates in online learning in higher education (Ali & Leeds, 2009; Atchley, Wingenbach, & Akers, 2012; Ludwig-Hardman & Dunlap, 2003; Moore & Kearsley, 2005)
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