Abstract
Research indicates academic integration and social integration are predictors of doctoral student persistence at any program stage. However, researchers have not defined, operationalized, and measured academic or social integration consistently. Further, no instruments exist that specifically measure both academic and social integration of doctoral students in distance programs. The purpose of this research was to define distance doctoral program integration, and in turn, develop and analyze the structure, validity, and reliability of the Distance Doctoral Program Integration Scale. Instrument development followed a multi-step process including expert review, pilot test, and exploratory factor analysis. Instrument reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha and test-retest. The results indicated a three-factor structure (i.e., faculty integration, student integration, and curriculum integration). The 32-item instrument is valid and reliable, measuring program integration of doctoral students studying at a distance.
Highlights
Research indicates academic integration and social integration are predictors of doctoral student persistence at any program stage
Research demonstrating the links between persistence, academic integration, and social integration are sometimes not clear (e.g., Braxton & Lien, 2000; Braxton et al, 1997), and these two constructs at the doctoral level are closely intertwined (Lovitts, 2001; Tinto, 1993)
Confounding the issue was research demonstrating the links between persistence, academic integration, and social integration are sometimes not clear (e.g., Braxton & Lien, 2000; Braxton et al, 1997)
Summary
Research indicates academic integration and social integration are predictors of doctoral student persistence at any program stage. No instruments exist that measure academic and social integration of doctoral students in distance programs. The 32-item instrument is valid and reliable, measuring program integration of doctoral students studying at a distance. The purpose of this study was to apply Tinto’s constructs to doctoral education by defining, operationalizing, and developing an instrument to measure academic integration and social integration of doctoral students in Distance Education (DE)programs. Researchers suggest academic integration and social integration are two predictors of doctoral student persistence in DE programs (Berry, 2017; Ivankova & Stick, 2007; RockinsonSzapkiw, L.S. Spaulding, & M.T. Spaulding, 2016; Wyman, 2012). Exacerbating inconsistencies are the variations of academic integration and social integration across program levels (e.g., doctoral, undergraduate, community college), and delivery methods (distance, commuter, residential) (Davidson & Wilson, 2013)
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