TURKIYE KLINIKLERI TIP BILIMLERI DERGISI, cilt.30, sa.5, ss.1639-1646, 2010 (SCI-Expanded)
Objective: Determination of the learning approaches is an important issue in the field of medical education. The cultural and linguistic adaptation of a well-known scale is a more effective and reliable way than preparing a new scale. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of Biggs(1) Revised Two Factor Learning Approaches Scale. Material and Methods: First and second term students from three different medical faculties in Turkey were enrolled in the study (n = 1027). The scale was assessed for test reliability and reproducibility, and students who answered all the questions (n = 993) were included in the analyses. Confirmatory factor analyses were performed to assess structure validity. Cronbach Alpha values were determined for each subdimension and test-retest reliability cofactors were calculated for the analysis of the reliability. Results: In the validity assessments of the new form of the scale, fit indexes selected for confirmatory factor analyses in the original study were selected and evaluated in the Turkish version as well. In all subdimensions, the Comperative Fit Index (CFI) was > 0.9, the Standardized Root-Mean-Square Residual (SRMR) and the Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) were < 0.08. Cronbach Alpha value was calculated as 0.772 and 0.800, for Deep and Surface Learning Approaches, respectively. Both values were in the acceptable range. Results of the test-retest analyses revealed correlation coefficients of 0.687 and 0.604 (p < 0.01), for Deep and Surface Learning Approaches, respectively. Conclusion: These results suggest that the investigated scale is a valid and reliable measuring method that can be used for investigations.