1. Gordon Coleman, Ph.D. University of Alabama
Blogging self-efficacy in a natural learning environment within higher education
Clay Davis
Vivian H. Wright, Ph.D.
Gordon Coleman, Ph.D. University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Alabama

2. What is this paper about?
Introduction to the research
Statement of the problem
Purpose of the study
Significance of the study
Research Hypotheses
Theoretical/Operational terms
Assumptions
Limitations

3. Introduction to the research
Self-Efficacy – a belief in one’s competency
Blogging – single author post, many author commented online discussions
Natural Learning Environment – accidental/collaborative environment

4. What’s the problem?
People are scared of technology!

5. Purpose of the study
To gain a better understanding of how (if at all) the learning environment affects self-efficacy towards blogging.

6. Significance of study Natural Learning environment =
Increase in self-efficacy toward blogging =
Greater chance for learners to overcome fear of blogging =
Greater chance for learners to interactively learn through blogging =
Greater student success

7. Research Hypothesis mean post-test scores of self-efficacy toward
blogging would increase from that of the pre-
test.

8. Terms Theoretical Operational
Self efficacy = inner belief of competency
Natural learning environment = collaborative/accidental learning
Operational
Self-efficacy = survey instrument asking agreement in “I believe I can…” statements
Natural learning environment = teacher provides framework and boundaries for class, and classmates teach each other

9. Assumptions The class is normally distributed
“Response sets” are not being exhibited
Social desirability
Aquiescence
Deviance
The sample is representative of the population

10. Limitations Small population/sample size
I work with the professor that taught the class
No observational/qualitative data was collected
No prior measures exist for self-efficacy towards blogging
Self-efficacy is self-report (not easily measured)

11. Literature Review (condensed)
Articles on Self-efficacy
Articles on Blogging
Articles on Learning Environments

12. Self-efficacy Bandura Inner belief of competency in an area
observed outcomes – how I view others competency and how I compare with them
prior experiences – not related
outcome predictions – could the bad outweigh the good?
and socialization – how well could we do together?

13. Articles on Blogging Oravec / Dearstyne one author, with many comments
Cheap
Easy to setup & use
Multiple blogs can be read from one interface
Anytime online = blogs can be used

14. Articles on Learning Environments
Directed learning Cohen & Sheer,Hess et al
Teacher centered
Student is blank slate to be filled by teacher
Natural learning McCombs & Whistler, & Iran-Nejad
Student centered
Learning is a journey of discovery that has no ending

15. Methodology Sample Research Design Data Collection Procedures
Instrumentation
Data Analysis

16. Sample Total Active SLIS population = 100 students
Enrollement for LS 500 = 49
Participation in study = 26 (mortality, incomplete surveys, non-participation)

17. Research Design One group pre-test post-test design
Measurement (O) self-efficacy instrument
Treatment (X) class with nat. learn. Env. + blogging

18. Data Collection Procedures
15 question likert instrument asking agreement with “I believe I am able to…” statements ordered by Magnitude, Strength, Generalizability
Used Pre-test / Post-test
Used research assistant & coding sheet to insure anonymity of respondents

19. MALE_____ FEMALE______ 2. Age Please list your age: ______________
SDA DA
Neither A SA
magnitude
I believe I am able to post a blog.
I believe I am able to comment on another's blog.
I believe I am able to change the skin on a blog.
I believe I am able to use a blog reader.
I believe I am able to search for other blogs that might interest me.
strength
I believe I am able to post a blog very well.
I believe I am able to comment on another's blog very well.
I believe I am able to change the skin on a blog very well.
I believe I am able to use a blog reader very well.
I believe I am able to search for other blogs very well that might interest me.
generalizability
I believe I am able to post a blog very well, even if the interface has changed.
I believe I am able to comment on another's blog very well, even if the interface has changed.
I believe I am able to change the skin on a blog very well, even if the interface has changed.
I believe I am able to use a blog reader, very well, even if the interface has changed.
I believe I am able to search for other blogs very well that might interest me, even if the interface has changed.
Demographics
1. Gender
MALE_____ FEMALE______
2. Age
Please list your age: ______________
3. Prior Experience
I have been blogging for this many years: __ 0 __ 1 __ 2 __ 3 __ More than 3
4. My favorite topic of discussion is:
___ Math/Science ___ English ___ Social Studies

20. Data Analysis Survey: Study: Item-total correllations (reliability)
Cronbach’s alpha (reliability)
Standard Measurement of Error (reliability)
exploratory factor analysis using a principal components analysis with a varimax, orthogonal rotation (construct validity)
Study:
Paired Samples t-test to determine if significant difference existed between pre-test and post-test
Chi-square, to determine if there were any differences between gender, age group, prior experience level, favorite subject and the individual items.

21. Results How reliable was the survey? How valid was the survey?
Was overall self-efficacy toward blogging raised during this class?
What other sub-groups within this overall group showed differences?

22. Survey: Reliability Cronbach’s alpha = .898
Internal Consistency = all but one .680 for item-to-total correlations (one fell at .280)
Standard Error of measurement = 4.04

23. Survey: Validity
Of the 15 factors, there were three factors extracted with an Eigenvalue of 1.00 or greater. The first factor explained % of the variance with all three factors explaining % of the variance.
I) blogging communication self-efficacy ( How self-efficacious am I towards communication with blogs?),
II) blogging flexibility self-efficacy ( How self-efficacious am I toward the flexibility of blogs?) ,
III) blogging search self-efficacy( How self-efficacious am I toward searching for blogs?).

24. Was overall self-efficacy toward blogging raised during this class?
No, not by looking at the entire group t(25) = , p = .248
However, yes in subgroup of respondents claiming they had less than one year of experience with blogging, t(17) = , p = .041

25. What about relationships with demographics to questions?
Chi-square found significant relationships between:
age group and item 5 (I believe I am able to search for other blogs that might interest me) c 2 (8, N = 26) = , p = .004 ; [older ↓ younger ↑]
prior experience level and item 14 (I believe I am able to use a blog reader very well even if the interface has changed) c 2 (12, N = 26) = , p = .016; [less exp ↓ more exp ↑]
prior experience level and item 13 (I believe I am able to change the skin on a blog very well even if the interface has changed) c 2 (12, N = 26) = , p = .015; [less exp ↓ more exp ↑]
and prior experience level and item 7 (I believe I am able to change the skin on a blog very well) c 2 (12, N = 26) = , p = [less exp ↓ more exp ↑]

26. Discussion, Conclusions, & Implications
Threats to Internal Validity
Threats to External Validity
Recommendations for further research

27. Threats to Internal Validity
Mortality (3 participants did drop out)
History (students were taking other classes)
Maturation (the biology of the brain could have matured during this time (kind of a stretch))
Testing (not measuring a skill, so this is kind of a stretch as well)
Instrumentation (objective measurement so probably a stretch here as well)
and interaction of selection and maturation (possibly, because age varies from 22-50)

28. Threats to external validity
interaction of testing and self-efficacy (pre-test sensitization)—I should improve, so I will improve when I get the post-test
and interaction of history and self-efficacy.—not advisable to generalize beyond this one time frame for self-efficacy increase
Experimenter effect– I work with the professor teaching the class, he could want the study to go well.

29. Other limitations
Small sample/population
Only one group studied

30. Recommendations for the future
Try to do a Solomon 4 group design
R O X O random sample group w/pre-test, post-test and treatment
R O O random sample with pre-test, post-test and no treatment
R X O random sample with post-test and treatment
R O random sample with post-test and no treatment
Do this for each learning environment: natural, and directed. The “no treatment group” would be a non-specific learning environment—not purely natural or directed, and use multiple universities, and use an online instrument instead of paper