Validating a Student Science Interest Survey for Economically Challenged Middle School Students From a Randomized Study

• In Event: Science Teaching and Learning: Student Attitude and Affect in Science Education

Abstract

Based on existing theories and instruments, we developed a science interest survey and established its psychometric properties using data from a sample of economically-challenged students (n=2,830) in a federal-funded, large-scale, randomized controlled project. An ongoing, intensive, and structured virtual professional development and virtual mentoring and coaching accompanying a literacy-infused science and technology curriculum interventio were provided to Grade 5 science teachers with a goal to improve students’ science achievement and learning interests. We administered the interest survey and conducted exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, and internal reliability analysis. The results generated a 22-item instrument with five factors and a good model fit (RMSEA = 0.046, CFI = 0.926, SRMR=0.041) and internal reliability of 0.86.

Authors

• Fuhui Tong, Texas A&M University - College Station

• Shifang Tang, Texas A&M University - College Station

• Cindy Lynn Guerrero, Texas A&M University - College Station

• Fubiao Zhen, Texas A&M University - College Station

• Beverly J. Irby, Texas A&M University - College Station

• Rafael Lara-Alecio, Texas A&M University - College Station