The Online Student Connectedness Survey: Evidence of Initial Construct Validity

Authors

  • Tekeisha Denise Zimmerman
  • Kim Nimon The University of Texas at Tyler

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v18i3.2484

Keywords:

distance learning, student connectedness, factor validity, construct validity

Abstract

The Online Student Connectedness Survey (OSCS) was introduced to the academic community in 2012 as an instrument designed to measure feelings of connectedness between students participating in online degree and certification programs. The purpose of this study was to examine data from the instrument for initial evidence of validity and reliability and to establish a nomological network between the OSCS, the Classroom Connectedness Survey (CCS), and the Community of Inquiry Survey (COI), which are similar instruments in the field. Results provided evidence of factor validity and reliability.  Additionally, statistically and practically significant correlations were demonstrated between factors contained in the OSCS and established instruments measuring factors related to student connectedness.  These results indicate that for the sample used in this study, the OSCS provides data that are valid and reliable for assessing feelings of connection between participants in online courses at institutions of higher learning.

Author Biographies

Tekeisha Denise Zimmerman

Dr. Tekeisha Zimmerman is the Director of Curriculum Development and Learning at BICSI, a non-profit association serving the Information, Communication and Technology industry. For more than 15 years, she has been in the field of education and training and has contributed to the profession as a facilitator, educator, researcher and mentor. Her background includes expertise in training and development, curriculum design and development for instructor-led and e-Learning content, support for learning managements systems (LMS), and face to face and online instruction in corporate and higher education settings. Dr. Zimmerman's research areas include distance learning, organizational training and development, learning analytics and technology integration.

 

 

Kim Nimon, The University of Texas at Tyler

Dr, Kim Nimon is an Associate Professor at the University of Tyler at Texas. Her research is focused on developing measures for employee engagement, advancing state of the art utilization of statistical software, and creating advanced measures and frameworks for reliability. Dr. Nimon serves on several editorial boards and has been an invited speaker at several conferences that focus on research in HRD and quantitative methods. 

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Published

2017-05-12

How to Cite

Zimmerman, T. D., & Nimon, K. (2017). The Online Student Connectedness Survey: Evidence of Initial Construct Validity. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 18(3). https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v18i3.2484

Issue

Vol. 18 No. 3 (2017)

Section

Research Articles

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