Using the Partial Credit Model to Evaluate the Student Engagement in Mathematics Scale

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Psychometrics
• Mathematics Education

Background:

• Student engagement is crucial for academic success in mathematics.
• Existing measures may not capture the multifaceted nature of engagement within a single class period.
• The Student Engagement in Mathematics Scale (SEMS) was developed to address this gap.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the psychometric properties of the SEMS.
• To determine the reliability and validity of the SEMS for assessing student engagement in mathematics.
• To provide evidence for the SEMS's utility in upper elementary school settings.

Main Methods:

• The SEMS was administered to 360 fifth-grade students.
• Rasch partial credit modeling (PCM) was employed for data analysis.
• Misfitting items were identified and removed to refine the scale.

Main Results:

• The Rasch PCM analysis supported the psychometric integrity of the SEMS sub-dimensions.
• Items on the SEMS demonstrated a range of engagement levels.
• The scale proved effective in measuring student perceptions of engagement in mathematics.

Conclusions:

• The SEMS is a psychometrically sound instrument for assessing student engagement in mathematics.
• The findings support the use of the SEMS by researchers and practitioners working with upper elementary students.
• Recommendations are provided for future research utilizing the SEMS.