Developing measures for the effectiveness of distance education as regards sustainability: the mixed method approach

Abstract

Distance education has been acknowledged as a mechanism through which sustainable development can be achieved. The objective of the study is to develop the instrument that measures the effectiveness of distance education in inculcating sustainability among distance learners as the researchers have observed the absence of comprehensive and contextually appropriate measures for the effectiveness of distance education in nurturing sustainability. A mixed method research design was employed by following the six-phase sequential exploratory instrument development process. The quantitative validation of the instrument was done via a survey on 663 learners from the selected public universities in Malaysia. The SmartPLS 3 used by the researchers, produced a new 61-item measure of the effectiveness of distance education as regards sustainability. The findings have enabled the establishment of a comprehensive and contextually appropriate measurement tool applicable to a larger population of distance learners. It also provides an evaluation tool for practitioners in determining the effectiveness of distance education programs and courses that have led to the attainment of sustainability outcome among learners. Future studies may pursue further processes to improve the rigor and construct validation of the instrument besides uncovering other areas which are necessary to be incorporated in the scope of the measures.