Background:

The OSCS (Bolliger & Inan, 2012) is the first known instrument created specifically to measure perceived feelings of online student connectedness.  Because the OSCS is a newly developed instrument, evidence of convergent validity, divergent validity and reliability is limited and a nomological network has not been established.

 

Purpose:

The purpose of this study is two-fold.  First, this study will gather evidence of validity and reliability for the Online Student Connectedness Survey (OSCS).  Second, this study will build a nomological network by relating OSCS constructs to a set of theoretically sound comparison constructs.

 

Why?

Establishing a set of constructs related to online student connectedness which are generalizable to a variety of audiences would facilitate discussion in both the academic and practitioner communities and allow for studies of this phenomenon across disciplines. Further, the nomological network must be developed in order to provide evidence that an instrument has construct validity.

 

How?

This study will utilize correlation research design. Quantitative research methods will be used to gather evidence of internal consistency, convergent validity and divergent validity for the OSCS and to build a nomological network for the instrument.