University students’ learning approaches: An adaptation of the revised two-factor study process questionnaire to Norwegian

Abstract

This paper reports a Norwegian validation study of a widely used instrument to measure students’ approaches to learning, namely, Bigg’s revised two-factor study process questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F). Its cultural sensitivity and psychometry evaluations have provoked rigorous discussion among educators in different languages. A survey design was adopted involving 253 undergraduate engineering students across two universities. Confirmatory factor analyses were used to test six models hypothesized to reflect the factor structures of R-SPQ-2F and unidimensionality of its subscales. The results showed appropriate fits of a two-factor first-order model with 10 items measuring deep approach and 9 items measuring surface approach subscales. The reliability was found to be high with coefficients of .81, .72 and .63 on deep subscale, surface subscale and the whole instrument respectively. Findings may be interpreted as evidence of cultural sensitivity of the instrument and more validation studies were recommended.