Development and Validation of a Learner Interactions Behavioral Observation Checklist (BOC)

ABSTRACT

Instruction, designed to impact learning, accentuates the quantity and quality of learner interactions. Learner interactions during instruction are fostered through learner-to-learner, learner-to-instructor, and learner-to-content experiences. Scholarship examining interactions has been criticized when using self-reports that gather perceptions of interactions, rather than actual behavior data. An observational checklist was developed to track learner interaction behaviors. Instrument validation processes included literature review, item development, usability analysis, and theoretical/content validation. A Content Validity Ratio of .91 indicated agreement on instrument item relevance and content validity.

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge the consultation from the Research in Designing Learning Resources [RIDLR] team and associated doctoral students for their time participating in the development and review of the BOC prior to the full validation.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The authors confirm that the study’s findings and supplementary materials are representation of the raw data. Upon request, raw data that support the findings of the study are available from the corresponding author.

Ethical approval

This study was approved (approval # 22–158) by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the Office of Research Integrity and Protections. The approval granted this research Category 2 status – meaning IRB determined that there were adequate provisions to protect the privacy of participants and confidentiality of information obtained.