A Questionnaire to Assess Situational Interest: Theoretical Considerations and Findings

• In Event: Current Approaches to Interest Measurement

Abstract

The objective of our short 6-item questionnaire is to assess two components of situational interest referred to as catch/hold (Mitchell, 1993) or triggered/ maintained situational interest (Hidi & Renninger, 2006) in problem-based learning environments. The survey was developed through several stages of theoretical consideration and empirical investigation. Validation studies were conducted with K-12 students during different problem-based learning activities in the science classroom. The assessment of “catch” encompasses the aspects of positive affect and attention whereas “hold” covers the aspects of perceived value and exploration intention. Statistical analyses confirm that catch and hold are separate but correlated factors.

Authors

• Doris Lewalter, Technical University of Munich

• Maximilian Knogler, Technische Universität München