A Scale for Assessing Preschoolers' Concentration

• In Event: Montessori Education SIG: Child Development Research

Abstract

Self-regulation goes through considerable development during the preschool years. One way in which self-regulation is exhibited is through concentration. Montessori education emphasizes concentration as both an important part of the learning process and as an educational outcome, yet there has been little research looking at how to quantify this construct. This study presents an analysis of a novel scale assessing concentration using a generalized partial credit model. The scale is assessed for inter-rater reliability, internal validity, unidimensionality, and item fit to the generalized partial credit model. The scale is narrowed down to a final version consisting of five items rated on a 5-point scale that can be used by researchers and instructors to assess concentration.

Authors

• Ian Becker, University of Virginia

• Angeline S Lillard, University of Virginia