Validity of the Student Interest and Engagement Scales: Associations with Student Learning Outcomes

This study builds validity evidence for the Student Interest Scale and Student Engagement Scale. Confirmatory factor analysis indicates that the factor structures of the new measures are stable, reliable, and valid. The results indicate a positive association between student emotional and cognitive interest and engagement, providing initial evidence for construct validity. Results reveal positive relationships between student interest, learner empowerment, motivation, and affective learning, offering evidence of convergent validity. Analyses reveal that the Student Interest Scale is distinct from Weber, Martin, and Cayanus' (2005 Weber , K. , Martin , M. M. , & Cayanus , J. L. ( 2005 ). Student interest: A two-study re-examination of the concept . Communication Quarterly , 53 , 71 – 86 .[Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]) Learner Empowerment Scale, McCroskey's (1994 McCroskey , J. C. ( 1994 ). Assessment of affect toward communication and affect toward instruction in communication . In S. Morreale & M. Brooks (Eds.), 1994 SCA summer conference proceedings and prepared remarks: Assessing college student competence in speech communication . Annandale , VA : Speech Communication Association . [Google Scholar]) Affective Learning Scale, and Christophel's (1990 Christophel , D. ( 1990 ). The relationship among teacher immediacy behaviors, student motivation, and learning . Communication Education , 39 , 323 – 340 .[Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) Motivation Scale, while the Student Engagement Scale is distinct from Frymier and Houser's (1999 Frymier , A. B. , & Houser , M. L. ( 1999 ). The revised learning indicators scale . Communication Studies , 50 , 1 – 12 .[Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]) Learning Indicators Scale, providing discriminant validity evidence.