Developing and Validating Sense of Belongingness (SoB) Scale in Online Distance Learning (ODL) in Postgraduates

Abstract

Background: Sense of belongingness (SoB) is crucial for fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment for online distance learning students. It has been linked to improving engagement and learning and reducing attrition. Current SoB scales are predominantly designed for undergraduate on-campus programs and therefore may not effectively capture or assess SoB in an online distance learning (ODL) context. With the increase in ODL Programmes around the world, there is a need for a new scale that accurately measures the sense of belongingness in the context of online distance education. By doing so, this would then support educators in assessing and evaluating targeted interventions aimed at enhancing the ODL experience and outcomes. Therefore, the aim of this thesis was to first explore SoB within an ODL context and then develop a tool to measure SoB in online distance learners.

Methods: This thesis comprises of four distinct and connected research studies. Each one informing the next and involving a comprehensive exploration of the concept of SoB in ODL in the postgraduate context. A total of 1008 participants were recruited, consisting of postgraduate learners, educators, and other stakeholders. The first study employed a qualitative multi-site case study (n= 40 participants), which then underpinned the second study, the development of initial questionnaire items. A modified e-Delphi technique was then employed to revise items further, engaging experts (n=60 participants) in two rounds of consensus-building. The third study involved validity and reliability testing of the questionnaire items using cognitive interviewing (n=14 participants) and establishing construct validity and reliability (n=894 participants) in two countries (the United Kingdom and Pakistan). The fourth study comprised of the application of SoB Scale. Mixed analysis methods were used to analyse the data, i.e., thematic analysis to identify themes, statistical methods such as exploratory factors analysis, and reliability coefficients to analyse the data and affirm the scale's robustness.

Results: Six key themes emerged from the first study, representing the fundamental facets of SoB in the context of ODL: Convenience and Flexibility, Technology and Accessibility, E-immediacy, Virtual Community Building, Communication, and Comfort and Support. In the second study, sixty-seven items were developed from study one and the literature. Through the e-Delphi process, consensus was reached on the importance and relevance of 43 out of the initial 67 items for measuring the SoB. In the third phase, cognitive interviews were conducted to assess the understandability and interpretability of the items, which further refined the questionnaire, resulting in a set of 40 items, a factor analysis on 894 postgraduate students, revealing four factors and 38 items. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measure yielded a high value of 0.974. Bartlett's test of sphericity resulted in an approximate chi-square value of 199946.153 with 780 degrees of freedom, and the p-value was found to be significant at 0.000, supporting the factorability of the correlation matrix. Moreover, the overall scale demonstrated strong internal consistency and reliability, as evidenced by a high Cronbach's Alpha coefficient of 0.95. This indicates that the tool can effectively and accurately measure postgraduate online distance learners' SoB experiences.

Conclusion: This study fills a significant gap in understanding and assessing SoB in the context of postgraduate online distance learning. The newly developed SoB scale demonstrates promising initial validity and reliability. It is a valuable instrument for educators, administrators, and researchers in evaluating and improving the learning experiences of postgraduate students engaged in ODL programs. Moreover, the outcomes of this research offer a meaningful contribution to ODL, providing educators with a powerful tool to foster a strong SoB among postgraduate online distance learners, ultimately promoting their academic success and well-being and exhibiting potential as a valuable resource. However, it is essential to acknowledge the need for further testing to assess generalizability across diverse institutions and various ODL programs.

Date of Award	2024
Original language	English
Supervisor	Susie Schofield (Supervisor) & Mandy Moffat (Supervisor)