Development and validation of the online learning experience scale for art majors in Chinese tertiary education

This study aimed to develop and validate the online learning experience scale for art students (OLESA) in higher education. A qualitative-quantitative sequential mixed-method design was used for the instrument validation. According to the widely-accepted scale development process, this study followed the steps of item pool generation, expert validation (N = 5), pilot test (N = 100), reliability test, and confirmatory factor analysis (N = 455). The final version of the OLESA comprised four categories, including the learning environment, learning relationships, learning activities, and learning gains. The scale demonstrated adequate reliability and validity. The study revealed that the online learning experience of arts students is satisfactory, although there were unsatisfactory situations. The current study can provide practical implications for art universities or colleges to conduct online teaching better and improve the students’ online learning experience and the quality of online courses.