Validity Evidence for a Scale of Student Propensity to Drop Out of Undergraduate Courses

• In Event: Research Into Higher Education: Enrollment, Course Taking, and Dropping Out

Abstract

School dropout is a serious problem in the field of education. The earlier the identification of vulnerable students, the more successful any student retention strategy.
The objectives in this study were to develop a scale to measure the student propensity to drop out of undergraduate courses and obtain validity evidence for the proposed scale.
A 20-item scale was created and different methodologies were used to evaluate and provide evidence for content validity, response process validity, internal structure validity, and criterion-related validity. This scale will be useful for researchers as well as administration units in colleges and universities to take preventive measures toward students who intend to drop out of their courses.

Authors

• Dalton F. Andrade, Federal University of Santa Catarina

• Jeovani Schmitt, Catarinense Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology

• Walter L. Leite, University of Florida

• Anne Corinne Huggins-Manley, University of Florida

• Adriano F. Borgatto, Federal University of Santa Catarina