Measuring approaches to learning in preschoolers: validating the structure of an instrument for teachers and parents |
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| Authors: | Otilia C Barbu Ronald W Marx David B Yaden Jr Deborah Levine-Donnerstein |
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| Institution: | 1. Educational Psychology, The University of Arizona, PO Box 210069, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA;2. College of Education, The University of Arizona, PO Box 210069, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA;3. Teaching Learning &4. Sociocultural Studies, The University of Arizona, PO Box 210069, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA |
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| Abstract: | This study examined a 13-item instrument measuring approaches to learning (AtL) as a component of school readiness in the context of early childhood socio-emotional development. Few instruments, limited to preschool teacher ratings, measure AtL among kindergarteners with short easy-to-use questionnaires. We investigated psychometric properties of the instrument designed to provide practical measures of AtL behaviours identified in the Arizona Early Learning Standards with teacher (n?=?205) and guardian (n?=?1025) samples. We found a one-factor structure via exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The multi-group CFA for combined teacher and guardian models indicated a good fit, which demonstrated the structure validity of the AtL instrument. This finding, combined with evidence of reliability of the instrument, supported the educational utility of the AtL as a new tool for measuring school readiness among kindergarteners in Arizona. |
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| Keywords: | approaches to learning readiness EFA CFA structural validity |
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