Measuring cognitive engagement in physical education: scale development and validation

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Physical Education Pedagogy
• Measurement and Evaluation

Background:

• Cognitive engagement is crucial for quality physical education and student outcomes.
• Current assessment tools lack specificity, accuracy, and practicality.
• The ICAP framework guides the development of a new assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate the Cognitive Engagement in Physical Education Scale (CEPE).
• To provide a contextually specific and accurate measurement tool for Chinese middle school students.
• To enhance classroom evaluation and instructional intervention in physical education.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and classroom observations informed initial scale development.
• A reliability and validity test was conducted with 855 middle school students.
• Factor analysis and psychometric analyses were used for validation.

Main Results:

• The final 14-item CEPE has four dimensions: observation/execution, cognitive processing, self-regulation, and collaborative innovation.
• The four-factor model demonstrated acceptable fit and strong psychometric properties, including reliability and validity.
• CEPE scores positively correlated with physical education learning self-efficacy.

Conclusions:

• The CEPE is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring cognitive engagement in physical education.
• This scale can aid in evaluating teaching quality and informing instructional strategies.
• The CEPE provides a valuable tool for researchers and educators in physical education.