Effects Of Students’ Characteristics On Online Learning Readiness: 
A Vocational College Example

Authors : Harun CIGDEM

Pages : 80-93

Doi:10.17718/tojde.69439

View : 11 | Download : 7

Publication Date : 2014-09-01

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Educational institutions rapidly adopt concepts and practices of online learning systems for students. But many institutions’ online learning programs face enormous difficulty in achieving successful strategies. It is essential to evaluate its different aspects and understand factors which influence its effectiveness. Readiness stands out among the variables that influence online learning effectiveness. Therefore, it is important to examine online learning readiness insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(OLR); and students’ characteristics that affect OLR. This paper reports relationship between student characteristics and OLR at vocational college. Quantitative method was used to collect relevant data in this study. Hung et al.’s Online Learning Readiness Scale insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(OLRS); was administered to 725 vocational college students, in Balıkesir. OLRS has 18 items grouped into five factors; computer/Internet self-efficacy insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(CIS);, self-directed learning insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(SDL);, learner control insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(LC);, motivation for learning insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(ML);, and online communication self-efficacy insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(OCS);. t-test and multivariate analysis of variance insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(MANOVA); were used to determine if there were significant differences in online learning readiness across the students’ characteristics. The study revealed that students surveyed overall ready for online learning but they need to improve themselves especially in CIS and OCS in order to be successful at online learning. Students’ characteristics insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(PC ownership, department, type of high school graduation); significantly affect learners’ in some dimensions of OLRS especially CIS dimension. The research findings were discussed in line with the literature and some suggestions were presented for further research and researchers.
Keywords : Online Learning Readiness, Vocational College, Readiness Factors