Abstract

This study presented the factor analysis on constructing the new factors affecting the middle school students' online learning behaviors from the questionnaires employed among middle school students. A total of 204 students participated and the data were collected in South Korea. The sample of middle school ninth-grade students was selected and used through purposive sampling. Findings from the factor analysis provided evidence for the eight-factor solution for the 35-items accounting for 66.15% of the shared variance. A wide range of factors has been considered to identify students' online learning behaviors. The appropriate experience and use of e-learning in the middle school period is also important as it will be a critical stepstone for future education. This research provides information that has been taken into account for advancing online learning to enhance the quality of e-learning systems for middle school students. The study results provided eight new factors affecting the middle school students' online learning behaviors; that is 1) communication using social media as a learning tool, 2) intention to share information using ICT, 3) addiction of technology, 4) adoption of technology, 5) seeking information using ICT, 6) use of social media learning, 7) information search using ICT, and 8) immersion of technology. This study confirmed that middle school students prefer communication using social media as a learning tool, and value intention to share information using ICT for the most part. The data obtained based on factor analysis can highlight the online learning behaviors towards a mixture of social media learning and ICT to ensure a new educational platform for the future of e-learning. This research expects to be useful for both middle schools of online learning to better understand students' online learning behaviors and design online learning environments and information professionals to better assist students who particularly need digital literacy.