The factor structure of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ): new methodological approaches and evidence

Abstract Background The area of self-regulated learning integrates the fields of metacognition and self-regulation and assumes that the student is an active processor of information capable of self-regulating his learning by putting together the cognitive, metacognitive, and motivational components. The Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) is a benchmark for the measurement of self-regulated learning. However, the field of study does not show adequate evidence of its structural validity. The vast majority of studies involving this question present serious methodological mistakes, compromising the evidence of validity. Objective Our study investigates the structural validity of MSLQ including all 15 scales and corrects relevant mistakes in the previous studies. Method We tested different models through item confirmatory factor analysis in a convenience sample of 670 college students (M = 22.8 years, SD = 5.2) from a public Brazilian university in the technological area. The models with the ML, MLR, MLM and WLMSV estimators. Results Only WLSMV produced models with acceptable fit. The final model has a bi-factor structure with a general factor (self-regulated learning), 15 components as first-order factors, and four broad components as second-order factors. Twelve first-order components, all second-order components and the general factor had acceptable reliability. The components' elaboration, intrinsic goal orientation and metacognitive self-regulation, did not show acceptable reliability, in terms of McDonald's omega. Conclusion Considering the worldwide importance of the MSLQ, we do not recommend the use of the measurement of these components for clinical practice and psychoeducational diagnosis until new studies show that this low reliability only occurs in our sample. Our study shows new evidence, correcting many previous methodological mistakes and producing initial evidence favorable to the factor structure of the MSLQ.

Measuring students learning approaches through achievement: structural validity of SLAT-Thinking / Medindo Abordagens de Aprendizagem pelo Desempenho: Validade Estrutural do TAP-Pensamento / Midiendo los Enfoques de Aprendizaje mediante el Desempeño: Validez Estructural del TAP-Pensamiento

The field of learning approach studies measures its constructs exclusively using self-report instruments. Recently created, SLAT-Thinking is the first test to measure performance approaches in a task that requires the respondent to identify the author's thinking in a given text. This paper presents the first evidence on the structural validity of SLAT-Thinking. A sample of 622 higher education students was randomly divided into training sample and test sample. Two models were tested in the training sample through confirmatory factor analysis of items, resulting in a final model. This model presented configural, metric, and scalar invariance when comparing the training and test sample. The results indicate that SLAT-Thinking reliably measures three levels of learning approaches: superficial, intermediate-deep, deep. The measurement of levels generates information not previously identified by the area, bringing conceptual implications for the construct.

O campo de estudos em abordagens de aprendizagem mensura exclusivamente seus construtos usando instrumentos de autorrelato. Criado recentemente, o TAP-Pensamento é o primeiro teste a mensurar abordagens via o desempenho em uma tarefa que demanda ao respondente identificar o pensamento do autor em determinado texto. O presente artigo apresenta as primeiras evidências sobre a validade estrutural do TAP-Pensamento. Uma amostra de 622 estudantes do ensino superior foi dividida aleatoriamente em amostra-treino e amostra-teste. Dois modelos foram testados na amostra-treino, via análise fatorial confirmatória de itens, resultando em um modelo final. Este modelo apresentou invariância configural, métrica, e escalar, ao se comparar a amostra treino e teste. Os resultados indicam que o TAP-Pensamento mensura de forma confiável três níveis de abordagens de aprendizagem: superficial, intermediária-profunda, profunda. A mensuração de níveis gera informações anteriormente não identificadas pela área, trazendo implicações conceituais para o construto.

El campo de estudios sobre los enfoques de aprendizaje mide sus constructos exclusivamente utilizando instrumentos de autorreporte. Recientemente creado, el TAP-Pensamiento es el primer test que mide los enfoques a través del desempeño de una tarea que demanda que la persona identifique el pensamiento del autor en un texto determinado. Este artículo presenta las primeras evidencias sobre la validez estructural del TAP-Pensamiento. Una muestra de 622 estudiantes de educación superior fue dividida aleatoriamente en muestra-entrenamiento y muestra-prueba. Dos modelos fueron testados en la muestra de entrenamiento a través del análisis factorial confirmatorio de ítems, lo que resultó en un modelo final. Este modelo presentó invarianza configural, métrica y escalar al comparar las muestras de entrenamiento y prueba. Los resultados indican que el TAP-Pensamiento mide de manera confiable tres niveles de enfoques de aprendizaje: superficial, intermedio-profundo y profundo. La medición por niveles genera información no identificada previamente por el área, trayendo implicaciones conceptuales para el constructo.