Development of a multidimensional polychronicity scale for information technology learning

Abstract

Information technology provides the potential for polychronic learning. However, research on polychronicity in the educational field is scarce. The purposes of this study were to develop a multidimensional polychronicity scale for information technology learning and explore the relationship between polychronicity in information technology‐supported learning and personality traits. This study is divided into two phases. First, a questionnaire survey was used to develop a multidimensional polychronicity scale for information technology learning, and 602 questionnaires were included in the analysis. Second, 129 participants reported their polychronicity in information technology‐supported learning and Big Five personality traits. The first phase results showed that the scale of polychronicity in IT‐supported learning (SPITSL) contained three constructs, that is, time tangibility (α = .89), scheduling preference (α = .84) and involvement with people (α = .85) and that the total variance explained was 69.43%. The confirmatory factor analysis results indicated that the preliminary model fit, overall model fit and internal model fit were acceptable. The second phase results showed that polychronicity was related to the Big Five personality traits. This study showed that the SPITSL has a multidimensional structure that is consistent with the definition of polychronicity advocated by many scholars.

The relationships among Taiwanese youth’s polychronicity, multitasking behavior and perceived learning performance in online learning

“…SEM for the total sample showed that The test failed to obtain nonsignificant results, likely because the value is sensitive to the number of cases ( Bergh, 2015 ). Therefore, in large samples, the value may not be an appropriate indicator, and alternative indicators will be needed ( Luo et al, 2021 ). Other indicators used in this study showed that χ 2 / df = 4.74, TLI = 0.92, CFI = 0.93, and RMSEA = 0.07, all satisfying the following criteria: χ 2 / df < 5 ( Jöreskog and Sörbom, 1993 ), TLI > 0.90 ( Bentler and Bonett, 1980 ), CFI > 0.90 ( Li, 2006 ), and RMSEA < 0.08 ( McDonald and Ho, 2002 ), indicating that the fit between the model and the observed data was good.…”

“…That is, people who prefer to work in a timely, timesaving, and schedule-based manner actually participate in more tasks simultaneously and experience higher satisfaction in the process of using digital technology to learn. Luo et al (2021) and Nonis et al (2005) pointed out that “time tangibility,” which is closely related to time management, enables people to complete tasks on time or even deal with more tasks, and it is in line with the online learning environment that requires learners to perform learning tasks in a polychronic manner ( Lee and Perry, 2001 ; Capdeferro et al, 2014 ; Lepp et al, 2019 ). Finally, the “involvement with people” aspect of polychronicity in online learning did not predict “knowledge acquisition.” It is possible that although emerging IT has multiple interpersonal interaction functions, Taiwanese students still seldom use these interactive functions in IT-supported learning, possibly because obedience and silence in classroom learning have long been aspects of the learning culture of Chinese students ( Luo and Yang, 2018 ), which may extend to virtual online learning environments.…”

“…Especially in “time tangibility” and “learning satisfaction,” the path coefficients of the two samples were significantly different. This may be because students with “time tangibility” feel that they can complete tasks on time or even complete more tasks through time management, resulting in higher academic performance ( Nonis et al, 2005 ; Luo et al, 2021 ). In addition, “time tangibility,” which is related to time management, relates to students’ successful self-regulated learning.…”

“…To measure the participants’ polychronicity in online learning, we used the Polychronicity in IT-Supported Learning Scale ( Luo et al, 2021 ). The scale consisted of three subscales in the context of using digital technology such as mobile phones and computers to learn: time tangibility (TT), involvement with people (IP), and scheduling preference (SP).…”

“…Since time is not a tangible resource for them, people in high-context cultures do not think they have to finish their work in a certain period of time or think that it is problematic to leave tasks unfinished (Hecht and Allen, 2005;Capdeferro et al, 2014). However, Luo et al (2021) found that polychrons in an IT-supported learning environment prefer to work in a timely, time-saving and schedule-based manner (high TT). As polychrons are more likely to undertake multiple tasks, they may be able to achieve more goals than monochrons under the same work conditions.…”