Psychometric Properties of the Environmental Factors’ Questionnaire for Undergraduate Medical Students Taking Online Learning during COVID 19 Pandemic: A cross-sectional study (preprint)

ABSTRACT

Background Environmental factors are important for students learning during online classes, especially during COVID-19. This study aimed to validate the environmental factors’ questionnaire during online learning.Methods A total of 218 undergraduate medical students at the Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia participated in a cross-sectional study that involved an online survey. Environmental factors scales were assessed with the 9-items Lighting, Noise and Temperature (LNT) scale and the 6-items Technology scale. Analysis was performed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA).Results The English version of LNT with nine items and three factors showed a good fit to the data with no item deleted. For lighting, noise and temperature, the Composite Reliability (CR) was 0.81, 0.81 and 0.84, respectively while the Average Variance Extracted (AVE) was 0.61, 0.59 and 0.6, respectively. The English version of the Technology scale with six items and one factor also showed a good fit to the data with no item deleted. The CR was 0.84, and AVE was 0.51.Conclusions The results give psychometric evidence for environmental questionnaire scales in evaluatingthe factors associated with online learning among Malaysian university medical students. All items were retained and confirmed to be fit for sample data.