Jan N Hughes, Qian Cao, Stephen G West, Paula Allee Smith, Carissa Cerda
Effect of retention in elementary grades on dropping out of school early
Journal of school psychology
assess students approaches learning mathematics predict students learning outcomes also crucial utilities teaching learning process utilities range evaluating effective instructional interventions determining students learning difficulties comparing teaching learning experience higher education however measures constructs raised validity concerns among researchers root cause validity concerns traceable failure measures account contentspecificity approaches learning building previously developed general measure constructs designed study bridge gap developing validating approaches learning mathematics questionnaire almq 352 firstyear engineering students gave voluntary consent participated study students mainly males ages ranging 15 years 29 years average age 2067 years standard deviation 2164 analysed generated data using confirmatory factor analysis judged consistency hypothesised models generated data using combination criteria findings revealed twofactor almq seven items demonstrated excellent global local fit generated data standardised factor loadings items 068 average 073 showing high strengths items measuring respective constructs also found reliability coefficient 081 deep approaches 077 surface approaches 072 twofactor almq findings suggest preliminary evidence validity reliability almq discussed practical implications findings educators policymakers researchers interested improving mathematics learning experience