Development and validation of the online learning process questionnaire (OLPQ) at home for primary-school children and their caregivers.

Despite the increasing use of virtual modalities in schools since the COVID-19 pandemic, no systematic tools exist to evaluate the process of online learning. We developed and validated an Online Learning Process Questionnaire (OLPQ) for assessing online at-home learning among 219 Hong Kong primary-school students and 474 caregivers. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of caregivers' data classified the 58-item OLPQ into 11 subscales: (1) learning aims, (2) environmental structuring, (3) learning environment, (4) time management, (5) engagement in learning activities, (6) persistence, (7) interaction between teachers and students, (8) interaction among students, (9) feedback from the interface, (10) application of learning, and (11) meaning of learning under three learning phases. Confirmatory factor analysis of students' data further categorized the 11-subscale framework into three learning phases: preparatory, performance, and transfer. The OLPQ demonstrated excellent reliability and discriminant validity across caregiver (Cronbach's alpha = 0.98) and student samples (alpha = 0.98). These findings indicate that the OLPQ is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing the online at-home learning process among both students and their caregivers.

Psychosocial factors, but not professional practice skills, linked to self-perceived effectiveness of telepractice in school-based speech and language therapists during COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Face-to-face class suspensions during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in 2019 increased telepractice in speech and language therapy. However, little is known about speech and language therapists' (SLTs) perceived effectiveness of telepractice and its antecedents. AIMS: To examine the use of telepractice and the factors affecting its perceived effectiveness in Hong Kong mainstream schools during COVID-19. METHODS & PROCEDURES: Seventy-two school-based Hong Kong SLTs completed a 110-item online survey with six structural components: (1) concerns, (2) adoption, (3) student selection criteria, (4) perceived effectiveness, (5) continuous professional development and (6) attitudes/beliefs. OUTCOMES & RESULTS: Over 90% of respondents adopted telepractice during the pandemic. Confirmatory factor analysis identified reliable constructs from their component measures. These participants reported great telepractice difficulties (especially in therapy preparation and managing students' attention and/or communication). Mixed-response analysis revealed that psychosocial factors (i.e., students' engagement and SLTs' attitudes towards telepractice) but not professional practice skill factors (i.e., student client selection criteria and SLTs' years of experience in school settings) contributed to SLTs' self-perceived effectiveness of telepractice. CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS: Our findings suggest that psychosocial factors play a more important role than professional practice skill factors in the self-perceived effectiveness of telepractice. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject Previous surveys reported that although SLTs were interested in using telepractice before the COVID-19 pandemic, they showed concern about its effectiveness, resulting in a low adoption rate. One critical question naturally arises: What factors may affect the perceived effectiveness of telepractice by SLTs? What this paper adds to existing knowledge This study demonstrates for the first time that despite the high adoption rate of telepractice during the COVID-19 pandemic, school-based SLTs exhibited great difficulties, and the SLTs' self-perceived effectiveness of telepractice was related to psychosocial factors instead of professional practice skill factors. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work Professional support is needed to alter the attitudes of SLTs towards telepractice for enhancing their self-perceived effectiveness and positive clinical practice experience.

Professional Training and Therapeutic Resources Needed for the Adoption of Telepractice in the Philippines

With the COVID-19 pandemic necessitating the adoption of telepractice for providing speech and language therapy services, this study investigated the factors affecting the perceptions and the implementation of telepractice for school-age children by speech language speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in the Philippines. Sixty-four SLPs completed a 36-item online survey assessing the adoption of telepractice, implementation concerns, student candidacy, continuous training in telepractice, and the SLPs' demographics. The SLPs reported that they quickly adopted telepractice in their services for school-age students at the start of the pandemic. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that SLPs' perceptions of the effectiveness of telepractice were significantly affected by implementation difficulties while SLPs' future use of telepractice was significantly predicted by training and resource availability. These results suggest that professional training and other therapeutic resources are needed to alleviate SLPs' concerns about difficulties in implementing and continuing use of telepractice.