Abstract
In this research, a measurement tool was developed to determine the self-efficacy belief levels of university students towards distance education. The study group consists of 438 university students (297 women, 141 men) who continue their education activities with distance education in the 2021-2022 academic year. The scale development process has progressed according to the steps in the scale development stages. Various statistical analyses were conducted to provide evidence for the reliability and validity of the Distance Education Self-Efficacy Belief Scale. It was aimed to create evidence for the construct validity of the scale by making Exploratory Factor Analysis. Since there was no repetition of the developed scale, only Exploratory Factor Analysis was performed. As a result of factor analysis, the Cronbach Alpha coefficient of the scale was calculated as .92. This coefficient is the proof that the developed scale can measure the measurement process consistently. In addition, the fact that the scale items regarding the item-total correlation values have values between .45 and .71 is an indication that the scale has the ability to measure the features desired to be measured, in short, it serves the purpose of its development. Findings from the scale show that the scale can be used to determine distance education self-efficacy belief levels.
Highlights
Distance education is a type of education in which individuals can carry out their learning activities regardless of the time and location in line with their current technological opportunities. Aydemir (2018) defined distance education as an education-teaching system regardless of time and space in which individuals share information with technological tools and applications and establish communication and interaction. Schlosser & Simonson (2009) stated that distance education can be used together with face-to-face models and other education-teaching methods and techniques
Since there was no repetition of the developed scale, only Exploratory Factor Analysis was performed
Studies in the literature on self-efficacy towards distance education were examined and it was seen that there were a limited number of self-efficacy belief scales (Horzum & Çakır, 2009; Yıldız, 2015; Öztürk & Kert, 2017)
Summary
Distance education is a type of education in which individuals can carry out their learning activities regardless of the time and location in line with their current technological opportunities. Aydemir (2018) defined distance education as an education-teaching system regardless of time and space in which individuals share information with technological tools and applications and establish communication and interaction. Schlosser & Simonson (2009) stated that distance education can be used together with face-to-face models and other education-teaching methods and techniques. In another study conducted by Woodcock, Sisco, & Eady (2015), it was concluded that students' self-efficacy perceptions towards online learning environments are one of the important factors affecting the education-teaching process. For this reason, it is Participatory Educational Research (PER). It was aimed to develop a measurement tool with a high level of validity and reliability in order to shed light to evaluating distance education processes effectively and efficiently by determining the self-efficacy levels of individuals for distance education processes. It will be possible to determine students' self-efficacy belief levels and to better direct their education processes in online learning environments that are rapidly increasing with the pandemic in Turkey and in the world
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
