Article Critique Template
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School
American Public University *
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Course
815
Subject
History
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
docx
Pages
3
Uploaded by Cire0102
EDUC 815
A
RTICLE
C
RITIQUE
T
EMPLATE
Sabina Nell
Instructions:
After reviewing the website article for the assigned module, answer each question
below in no more than 3 sentences.
Questions:
1.
Correctly reference the article using current APA format.
Rovai, A. P. (2002). Sense of community, perceived cognitive learning, and persistence in
asynchronous learning networks.
The Internet and Higher Education
,
5
(4), 319–332.
https://doi.org/10.1016/s1096-7516(02)00130-6
2.
What is the purpose of the study?
According to Rovai (2020) the purpose of the study was to establish whether there is a
relathionship between sense of community and cognitive learning within the students
who are part of the online educational community.
3.
List the hypotheses; then, underline and label the corresponding independent/dependent
variables or predictor/criterion variables. Are there any covariates? If so, name them.
Since the stude conducted by Rovai (2020) was correlational study, there is no
independent and dependent variable. However, there are variables that were identified in
order to assess the relationship between them, versus the manipulation of an independent
variable.
When conducting correlation studies, that does not mean that there is causation
just simply a relationship.
Some of the variables were graduate students with graduate
online corses, classroom community, connectedness and perceived cognitive learning.
4.
What research design is used and why?
In the study, Rovai (2020) utilized coorrelactional research design.
The author wanted to
determine if there is a relationship between being an online graduate student taking
educational and leadershiop classes, having sense of community and its relationship to
cognitive learning.
In addition, researcher utilized multiple regression in order to
establish accuracy in perceived cognitive learning and its predication as well as one-way
between subjects ANOVA was used to establish any relationships between variables and
ethnicity.
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EDUC 815
5.
What type of sampling method is used?
The author Rovai (2002) utilized convenience cluster sampling among students enrolled
in 26 graduate and leadership online courses from one University. According to the
author, out of 478 students, 314 volunteered to respond which puts the response rate at
65.69%. Furthermore the author breaks down the response rate by gender, where males
were 28.66% of the study while 71.34% of participants were females.
The ethnicity of
the participants broke down into three groups, White, African American and other. White
participants composed 62.42% of the study, African Americans composed 26.43% of the
study and other composed 11.15% of the study.
The mean age of 302 students was 39.25
with the Standard Deviation of 9.45 (Rovai, 2002).
6.
What are the names of the instruments (provide a list)? Are the instruments valid and
reliable? Why or why not?
Classroom Community Scale composed of 20 items followed by five-point Liker Scale
(strongly agree, agree, enutrla, disagree and strongly disagree), and points between 80 to
0 being said that higher the score higher reflection on stronger sense of community. The
subscale of this intstrument measured connectedness sand learning with the range of
scores from 40 to 0.
Author utilized professional literature to ensure high confidence that
instrument is valid.
To ensure its validity, Classroom Community Scale was introduced
to three University professionals who taught Educational psychology.
Each panel
member independently established total relevance toward Classroom Scale itemse to
sense of community in a classroom environment.
Rovai (2002) reports that factor analysis failed to support the hypothesis of the
unidimensioanlity of the Classroom Community Scale.
Internal consistency estimates of
reliability were calculated for the Classroom Community Scale using Cronbach’s
coefficient alpha with reliability of .93 which established excellent reliability.
For the
mentioned two subscales, Cronbachs alpha for connectedness was .92 and learning .87.
According to Rovai (2002), perceived cognitive learning was measured via student self-
reports of their leanring.
It was composed of one question with the score of 0-9 where
students had to answer how much they feel they learned in the class. A score of 0
indicates nothing was learned and 9 means students learned more in that class than any
other.
Since the item was single scale, there was no internal consistency reliability
estimates because it is not possible.
7.
Do the author(s) give enough detail regarding the procedure so that the study could be
replicated? How or how not?
The author gave an excellent break down of the study participants and response rate. He
did not however mention the IRB process and when did he sent out the questionnaire.
According to Rovai (2002), the data was being collected within last three weeks of the
course and follow up one more week after. In addition, the author states that there was a
weekly follow up via email to remind participants to respond with the direction and
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EDUC 815
encouragement for completion.
The author could have included a more of the detailes in
regarding the procedures and how was data gathered, as was it via monkeysurvey, or
simple google form.
What type of statistical analysis is used and why?
Multiple regression was utilized to establish relationship between connectedness and
learning subscales and its relationship toward cognitive learning. The study revelaed that
there was a significant relationship between the variables.
Pearson product-moment was also utilized to analyze correlation coefficients to
determine bivariate corrletaions among classroom community.
Rovai (2002) utilized one way between subjects ANOVA because the purpose of the
study was to establish relationshiop between variables, in this case it was ethnicity and
subscales as well as gender. The study did not find any differences, however study did
show that females had showed more connectedness than male particpants.
8.
What are the major conclusions of the study? How do they relate to the hypothesis?
The major conclusions of the study is that students who are part of online educational
community do feel connected to their virtual classroom community, those students who
showed greater connectedness also indicated greater cognitive learning, and females
showed greater connectedness and cognitive learning compared to males, which suggests
that communication pattern variable could be involved, and that ethnicity and course
content did not appear to affect sense of community and cognitive learning as author
expected it.
9.
Do the author(s) suggest any future studies to resolve ambiguities in the present study or
to answer questions raised by the present study?
Rovai (2002) suggests for more study to be conducted with more diverisifed samples and
distance education delivery systems.
Rovai (2002) also suggest that research should be
conducted in regards on how to get faculty members involved in adding the value to the
online learning community through course design and pedagogy. The author mentions
limitations of the study which was the sampling from only one University which may not
reflect other instructor and other settings.
Another limitations was that study did not fit to
other distance education formats such as television-based systems. Researcher did not
exercised control over the courses examined and it was self-reported measure which also
adds to the limitation.
Rovai (2020) notes that other limitaitons associated with ex post
facto research design are applicable to his study however further study is encouraged and
suggested by the author.
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