The development and cross-cultural validation of a Student Online Learning Experience Scale

ABSTRACT

A growing body of research has explored the effects of Covid-19-induced online learning on students’ experiences. However, there is a lack of validated tools that measure the perceived online learning experiences of domestic and international students in various national and cultural contexts. To address this gap, this article aims to develop the Student Online Learning Experience Scale (SOLE-S). We conceptualised four potential dimensions of students’ perceptions of their online learning experiences: online interactions with students, teachers, university, and technology (i.e. students’ capacity to participate in online learning). Confirmatory factor analysis determined three distinct factors: online interactions with students, the university (including teachers), and technology. Based on multiple validation studies reported in this article, the 10-item SOLE-S demonstrated sound internal consistency, discriminant validity, and convergent validity. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis on data from domestic and international students transitioning from conventional classroom learning to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, France, Poland, and the UK showed a stable factor structure across different cultural contexts. Bivariate and point-biserial correlation analyses revealed that the SOLE-S is associated with students’ adjustment, performance, satisfaction, and loyalty to the university. This tool will assist higher education institutions in monitoring students’ online learning experiences and developing relevant support structures to enhance their academic experience and well-being during the pandemic and post-pandemic online learning.

KEYWORDS:

• Online Learning Experience Scale
• international students
• domestic students
• higher education
• COVID-19

Acknowledgment

We wish to thank all international students who participated in the survey, all university staff who provided ethical approval and/or facilitated the survey process, Grant Douglas for contributing to our study by collecting data in France and Daniela Bolzani for help in translating and adapting the survey to Italian students.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Narodowa Agencja Wymiany Akademickiej within the Bekker Programme [PPN/BEK/2019/1/00448/U/00001].