Measuring students’ perception of an engaging online learning environment: an argument-based scale validation study

Abstract

Identifying characteristics of an engaging online learning environment plays a crucial role in fostering student engagement and academic development in online learning. This body of research, however, has been impeded by the fragmentation with regards to the conceptualization and measurement of students’ perception of characteristics of an engaging online learning environment. Drawing on the development-in-sociocultural context perspective of student engagement as the substantive theory and the argument-based approach to validation as the methodological theory, this study sought to develop and validate an instrument to measure students’ perception of an engaging online learning environment (CEOLE). Through two stages of articulating and empirically evaluating an interpretation and use argument for the CEOLE, a 25-item questionnare measuring seven components of CEOLE was finally derived. Backing as well as rebutting evidence for the CEOLE was discussed in light of the argument-based approach to validation which manifests itself to be a more comprehensive and practical approach to validating Likert-type scale instruments than the classic evidence-gathering approach.