Seyedeh Khadijeh Amirian; Mansoure Hajhosseini; Mina Nezami; Simin Ebrahimi
Abstract
The aim of this study was to validate the student discussion engagement scale among students of the University of Tehran. The student discussion engagement scale, conceptualizes discussion in the form of a group question and answer that requires an understanding of the overall atmosphere of a class and ...
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The aim of this study was to validate the student discussion engagement scale among students of the University of Tehran. The student discussion engagement scale, conceptualizes discussion in the form of a group question and answer that requires an understanding of the overall atmosphere of a class and the participation of individuals who enhance/facilitate/boost the engagement of others. The scale assesses students' behavior and experiences in the classroom in four areas, namely their skills, self-confidence, openness to discussion, and perception of the overall atmosphere. The study included 403 students of the University of Tehran from different study areas and stages, who were selected through random sampling. The students were asked to fill out a survey online, which included questions about discussion engagement, academic engagement, general self-efficacy (GSES), and the classroom learning environment (CLC). The data were examined in several steps, including item analysis, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, convergent validity, divergent validity, and reliability. This was done in order to ensure that the analysis produces accurate and reliable results. The item analysis revealed that all items were adequate in terms of the descriptive criteria. The exploratory factor analysis identified four factors after removing two items. This suggests that there are four underlying factors influencing the students' engagement in classroom discussions. The confirmatory factor analysis also supported the factor structure identified in the exploratory factor analysis. This suggests that the Student Discussion Engagement (SDE) scale has convergent validity, divergent validity, and good reliability. This means that the scale can reliably and accurately measure students' engagement in classroom discussions.
