Gaining insight from survey data: an analysis of the community of inquiry survey using Rasch measurement techniques

This article presents the results of evaluating a dataset collected with the Community of inquiry (CoI) survey (Arbaugh, The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning 9:1–21, 2008) using Rasch psychometric techniques to evaluate instrument functioning. Data were collected over a two-year period yielding a sample of 704 survey responses from students who were enrolled in a blended online graduate program. The purpose of this article is to present a Rasch analysis of the CoI survey to provide insight into the functioning of the instrument beyond other statistical analyses of the CoI that have been conducted to date. The results of the analysis provide new insights into the functioning of this measurement instrument and demonstrate the usefulness of Rasch techniques. The rationale for using Rasch techniques as well as the implications of this technique when using the CoI survey when conducting research or evaluations of practices in blended online courses are discussed.