The Designing of the Computer Anxiety and Learning Measure (Calm): Validation of Scores on a Multidimensional Measure of Anxiety and Cognitions Relating to Adult Learning of Computing Skills using Structural Equation Modeling
Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online June, 1999
The Designing of the Computer Anxiety and Learning Measure (Calm): Validation of Scores on a Multidimensional Measure of Anxiety and Cognitions Relating to Adult Learning of Computing Skills using Structural Equation Modeling
This article discusses the process through which a powerful multidimensional measure of affect and cognition in relation to adult learning of computing skills, the Computer Anxiety and Learning Measure (CALM), was derived from its early theoretical stages to validation of its scores using structural equation modeling. The discussion emphasizes the importance of ensuring a strong substantive basis from which to develop reliable items for a measure as well as the usefulness of gathering qualitative data in both the factor and item design stages. The final instrument comprises 11 first-order factors and 1 negative item factor. These can be more parsimoniously represented as 5 factors, 2 of which are second order, and a measurement-method effect. Although tests of factorial invariance across different faculties provide considerable support for the stability and generalizabilty of the model, future research would need to examine whether the CALM model is invariant across different adult populations in similar computer learning/training environments.
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