Psychometric Evaluation of Three New Student Agency Scales

• In Event: AERA Research in Progress Roundtable Session Two
  In Invited Roundtable: Research-in-Progress RT002 (Thursday)

Abstract

According to social cognitive theory, student agency is grounded in reciprocal interactions between individual cognition, environmental conditions, and behavior. To date, several frameworks and scales have been developed to evaluate the individual psychological facet of student agency, but not environmental conditions or agency behavior. Furthermore, while some of the scales use classical test theory (CTT) and factor analysis (FA), none use item response theory (IRT) or investigate differential item functioning (DIF). My study addresses these gaps. Using qualitative scale development (cognitive interviews and focus groups) and rigorous quantitative analysis (CTT, CFA, IRT, and DIF checks), I developed, deployed, and am now analyzing the properties of three new scales that are designed to measure course-level student agency conditions.

Author

• Nicholas Balisciano, Harvard University