Mental health condition of vocational high school students during COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia.

This study aimed to determine the mental health condition of vocational high school students in Indonesia during the pandemic using the Rasch analysis method with the DASS-42 instrument. A total of 1381 vocational students in Indonesia participated in this study through the questionnaire. The results showed that more than 60 % of Indonesian vocational students experienced mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic due to social restrictions, and online learning. Furthermore, the findings of this study showed that mental health issues were mostly experienced by female students, firstborn children, and students who live in rural areas, and from middle-income backgrounds.

Online mental health survey for addressing psychosocial condition during the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia: Instrument evaluation

Background: Regular monitoring of the pandemic's psychosocial impact could be conducted among the community but is limited through online media. This study aims to evaluate the self-rating questionnaire commonly used for online monitoring of the psycho-social implications of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: The data were taken from the online assessment results of two groups, with a total of 765 participants. The instruments studied were Self-Rating Questionnaire (SRQ-20), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale- 10 (CESD-10), used in the online assessment. Data analysis used Rasch modeling and Winsteps applications. Validity and reliability were tested, and data were fit with the model, rating scale, and item fit analysis. Results: All the scales for outfit mean square (MnSq) were very close to the ideal value of 1.0, and the Chi-square test was significant. Item reliability was greater than 0.67, item separation was greater than 3, and Cronbach's alpha was greater than 0.60;all the instruments were considered very good. The raw variance explained by measures for the SRQ-20, PTSD, and CESD-10 was 30.7%, 41.6%, and 47.6%, respectively. The unexplained eigen-value variances in the first contrast were 2.3, 1.6, and 2.0 for the SRQ-20, PTSD, and CESD-10, respectively. All items had positive point-measure correlations. Conclusion: The internal consistency of all the instruments was reliable. Data were fit to the model as the items were productive for measurement and had a reasonable prediction. All the scales are functionally one-dimensional. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Students’ readiness for blended learning in a leading Malaysian private higher education institution

Purpose>Teaching and learning are being transformed by digital technology, where the present generation of students, termed millennials, are more adept with the increasingly digitalised world we live in. Following this, lecturers and institutions are adapting and adopting a blended learning model across disciplines, which now commands an entire domain of research and application. However, questions remain about how ready students are for a blended learning model of instruction. The purpose of this study is to investigate students’ readiness for blended learning in a leading Malaysian private higher education institution.Design/methodology/approach>This study used a non-experimental quantitative research design. Data were gathered from a sample of 274 pre-university and undergraduate students using the blended learning readiness engagement questionnaire. Data was analysed using WINSTEPS Rasch model measurement software to determine the validity and reliability of the instrument. Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) scores, (logit) value of the item and (logit) value of a person was used to examine students’ readiness for a blended learning model of instruction and specifically assess their readiness based on gender, age, ethnicity and field of study.Findings>Findings indicate that students were ready for blended learning. Further analysis indicated there were differences in students’ readiness for blended learning based on gender, age, ethnicity and field of study.Originality/value>This study provides insight into students’ readiness towards blended learning in a leading Malaysian private higher education institution, discusses implications for blended learning practices and offers recommendations for future research.