An item response theory analysis of the Community of Inquiry Scale

Mehmet Barış Horzum,Gülden Kaya Uyanik

doi:10.19173/irrodl.v16i2.2052

Mehmet Barış Horzum, Gülden Kaya Uyanik

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v16i2.2052

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Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine validity and reliability of Community of Inquiry Scale commonly used in online learning by the means of Item Response Theory. For this purpose, Community of Inquiry Scale version 14 is applied on 1,499 students of a distance education center’s online learning programs at a Turkish state university via internet. The collected data is analyzed by using a statistical software package. Research data is analyzed in three aspects, which are checking model assumptions, checking model-data fit and item analysis. Item and test features of the scale are examined by the means of Graded Response Theory. In order to use this model of IRT, after testing the assumptions out of the data gathered from 1,499 participants, data model compliance was examined. Following the affirmative results gathered from the examinations, all data is analyzed by using GRM. As a result of the study, the Community of Inquiry Scale adapted to Turkish by Horzum (in press) is found to be reliable and valid by the means of Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory.

Highlights

Online learning has become one of the most common applications used in distance learning. 75.9% of the institutions which have 7.1 million students taking at least one online course reported that online learning is critical as a long-term strategy (Allen & Seaman, 2013)
The aim of this study is to examine item and test characteristics of the scale used for components of Community of Inquiry (CoI) model by the means of Item Response Theory (IRT)
The study group of this research consists of 1,499 learners in online learning programs provided by Sakarya University distance education center. 587 (39.2%) of these learners are female whereas 912 (60.8%) of them are male

Summary

Introduction

Online learning has become one of the most common applications used in distance learning. 75.9% of the institutions which have 7.1 million students taking at least one online course reported that online learning is critical as a long-term strategy (Allen & Seaman, 2013). Online learning has become one of the most common applications used in distance learning. There is a need to effectively plan, implement, and manage online learning which is a highly common application (Moore & Kearsley, 2012). To provide these, Garrison, Anderson and Archer (2000) designed Community of Inquiry (CoI) model as a guide to the provision of effective teaching in online learning studies and applications and to the qualities of learning outcomes. While CoI model helps to organize a theoretical frame of learning process in online learning environments (Garrison, Anderson & Archer, 2001), it displays the quality of a basically ideal education experience. Multi-elements like cooperation between the participants, interaction, and observable instructional indicators supporting inquiry are described within this experience (Bangert, 2009)

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