Study 2 continued: homework helper online
The internal consistency of the HPQ was assessed with coefficient alpha. For the components with low coefficients, the item-total correlations and item means and dispersions were further examined to detect the problematic items. Additionally, other indices such as factor loadings and item compositions (i.e., consistency and structure of the items) within each component were also considered in selecting items for the next version of the HPQ. The coefficient alpha for each component and the recommendations for the questionnaire revision are presented for each category (homework helper online):
- Environmental: sound .88, light .83, temperature .81, design .78, place .79. Factor loadings were all greater than .45, and each item loaded on only one factor. All original items were to be retained. However, a proper category for the set place items needed to be determined (homework helper online).
- Organizational: structure .39, order .53. One of the four structure items had the item-total correlation of −.06, with a small loading size. An inspection of the four structure items indicated that this one item had a slightly different meaning compared to the other three. One of the four set-order items had the item-total correlation of .16, with a small loading size. Although this item was similar in content with the other three, the sentence was long and rather confusing in wording. An elimination of these two items was considered (homework helper online).
- Motivational: self-motivated .62, parent-motivated .76, teacher-motivated .49, persistence .67, responsibility .53. The items loaded on two separate factors, both being considered motivational. Although the internal consistency of the responsibility component was relatively low, there was no specific item that caused the low consistency. It was decided that the four items be retained for further examination with another sample. One teacher-motivated item had the item-total correlation of −.02, with a small loading. This item also was badly structured and lengthy, thus we decided to eliminate it (homework helper online).
- Perceptual-physical: auditory .71, visual .56, tactile .81, kinesthetic .88, intake .82, mobility .76. One auditory and one visual item had the item-total correlation of .10 and .04, respectively, and both had small loadings. The other items were preference about the perceptual mode used by teachers in giving homework instructions. The content of these two questionable items were not closely related to the respective factors, and we decided to eliminate them. The coefficients of the four time-related components were measured separately: set time .47, morning .50, afternoon .55, evening .55. However, all of the time components showed low internal consistencies. Because the specific timing for homework may not be freely chosen by students, the time component may need to be restructured. At this stage, however, we kept all the items for further examination (homework helper online).
- Sociological: alone–peers .84, authority figures .83. Each item loaded only on one factor, and factor loadings were reasonable. All original items were to be retained (homework helper online).