Developing a Valid and Reliable Instrument to Evaluate Users' Perception of Web-Based Learning in an Australian University Context

The Web has permeated many aspects of modern society. Because the popularity of the Web in society is widely recognised, its role in education has attracted a great deal of attention. As two key players in web-based education, students and teaching staff are the end-users whose views and perceptions about the significance of the Web should be used as a basis for implementing web-based education. To achieve this, valid and reliable instruments are needed. This paper describes the development of a research instrument for measuring the views, behaviors and attitudes of students and staff on the role of the Web in a university context. This pilot study involved 92 participants from the University of Tasmania. Cronbach-Alpha coefficients and exploratory factor analysis were used to measure the reliability and construct validity of the instrument. The results indicated that the questionnaire is a reliable and valid tool for researchers and courseware developers to evaluate web-based learning in this context, as well as in other Australian universities. The discussion also provides some insights into the complex relationship between technology and learning in general and user-friendliness and learner-friendliness in particular.