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ERIC Number: EJ889337
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009
Pages: 7
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1528-3518
EISSN: N/A
A Factor Analysis of the Distance Education Surveys "Is Online Learning Right for Me?" and "What Technical Skills Do I Need?"
Hall, Michael C.
Quarterly Review of Distance Education, v10 n4 p339-345 2009
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.)
IAP - Information Age Publishing, Inc. P.O. Box 79049, Charlotte, NC 28271-7047. Tel: 704-752-9125; Fax: 704-752-9113; e-mail: infoage@infoagepub.com; Web site: http://www.infoagepub.com/products/journals/qrde/order.html
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Two Year Colleges
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A