Online learning readiness in secondary education: validating the Online Learning Readiness Scale and examining the impact role of ICT familiarity

Online and blended learning have increased drastically during the pandemic, and their popularity has persisted as we emerge from this global crisis. This study aims to adapt and validate the Online Learning Readiness Scale (OLRS) to assess high school students. Secondary school students were recruited (n=296) for the study. The OLRS scale included. five components: Technology Readiness, Learner Control, Online Communication Self-efficacy, Self-directed Learning and Motivation for Leaming. Results supported the OLRS scale in terms of reliability and internal construct validity in context of the study by confirmatory factor analysis and Rasch measurement with partial credit analysis. The differential item functioning analysis revealed no bias issues regarding gender, confirming the measurement invariance statistics achieved. The study also found that the majority of students (73.7%) engaged in online learning solely through their mobile phone. ICT familiarity, i.e., interacting with friends regularly, browsing online learning materials, and watching educational videos on YouTube, had a positive association with students' readiness for online learning. Students' access to social networks, online forums and online music did not have a significant effect on their readiness for online learning. The scale demonstrated the capacity to function as an assessment instrument for evaluating readiness for online learning in the context of secondary education. Educational implications were considered, including key requirements of supporting technology and pedagogical practice in online and blended learning environments.