Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2008

Publication Title

Quarterly Review of Distance Education

Volume

9

Issue

3

Pages

297-310

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to conduct a confirmatory factor analysis of the Computer-Mediated Communication Questionnaire scores, using structural equation modeling, to assess the consistency between the empirical data and the hypothesized factor structure of the CMCQ in the proposed models, which is stipulated by the theoretical framework and previous research. Online social presence is a vital affective learning factor that influences online interaction. In this study, online social presence was defined as the degree of feeling, perception, reaction, and trustworthiness of being connected by computer-mediated communication to another intellectual entity through electronic media. Currently, valid instruments to determine the degree of social presence felt and exhibited by online learners are wanting. The results of this study indicated that online social presence was multidimensional, and composed of 4 factors as hypothesized in the theoretical framework: social context, online communication, interactivity, and privacy, although revision of some test items was also suggested by the results.

Comments

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Original Publication Citation

Yen, C.-J., & Tu, C.-H. (2008). Online social presence: A study of score validity of the computer-mediated communication questionnaire. Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 9(3), 297-310.

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