Abstract:

One of the most vital factors determining the effectiveness of online learning environments is engagement. Engagement contributes to improving success, motivation, satisfaction, and even reducing isolation. The aim of this study is to adapt the Online Student Engagement Scale developed by Dixson (2010) to Turkish and to create a valid and reliable measurement tool for use in the Turkish environment. It began with the translation of the original scale into Turkish, and it was finalized with linguistic equivalence and pre-pilot application. The study participants consisted of 254 students studying at university. The study used confirmatory factor analysis to show how much a previously determined structure validates the collected data, that is, the level of construct validity. All 19 items and a 4-factor structure (skills, emotion, engagement, and performance) of the original scale were preserved in the Turkish scale, which was observed to be compatible with the original. The resulting fit indices show a good fit above acceptable. Cronbach alpha values vary between α=.77 and α=.87. This study offers a scale essential for determining the engagement of students in online learning, particularly in the current period when online learning applications are being used extensively. Based on such findings, instructional designers and teachers will be able to develop strategies to encourage and guide students in online learning and therefore increase engagement, a crucial factor in online learning.

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