Scale for Determining Learning Approaches to Piano Lesson: Development, Validity and Reliability

AbstractThe purpose of this study is to develop a valid and reliable instrument for defining music education students’ learning approaches to piano lessons based on their own responses. The sample of the study is composed of 348 students who are enrolled to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th year classes of music education at 6 different institutions during the 2011-2012 academic year in Turkey. The measurement tool developed in this study is based on the scale for learning approaches by Biggs, Kember and Leung (2001). This scale consists of two main dimensions: deep learning approach and surface learning approach and both include the sub-dimensions of strategy and motive. The statements in the scale were determined through student essays and the relevant literature. The hypothesis of each item measuring the related psychological structure is tested by conducting an exploratory factor analysis. The sub-dimensions of the 25-item scale are distributed as 5 deep motive, 9 deep strategy, 6 surface motive and 5 surface strategy items. The factor loadings of the sub-dimensions are 0.598-0.729 for deep motive, 0.533-0.761 for deep strategy, 0.611-0.774 for surface motive, and 0.612-0.779 for surface strategy. Reliability coefficients (Cronbach's alpha) for the sub-dimensions of the scale are 0.84 for deep motive, 0.91 for deep strategy, 0.90 for surface motive, and 0.84 for surface strategy. It could be concluded that the 25-item scale developed in this study is a reliable and has structural validity