Study Approaches in Higher Education Mathematics: Investigating the Statistical Behaviour of an Instrument Translated into Norwegian

The revised two-factor study process questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F) has widely been considered valid and reliable in many contexts for measuring students’ learning approaches. However, its cultural specificity has generated considerable discussion, with inconclusive results when translated to different languages. This paper provides more insights into the construct validity of a Norwegian version of this instrument. The R-SPQ-2F is composed of ten items designed to expose deep learning approaches and 10 items designed to expose surface learning approaches. A survey research design involving a sample of 253 first year university students in a mathematics course was adopted. Ten hypothesized models were compared using a series of confirmatory factor analyses following the model proposals reported in the literature. A weighted least square mean and variance adjusted (WLSMV) estimator was used to enhance model parameter estimations under multiple violations of assumptions inherent in ordinal data. The results favored a two first-order factor model with ten items measuring the deep approach and nine items measuring the surface approach including a deletion of one item from this instrument. The findings of this study provide empirical evidence for the cultural specificity of the instrument that is consistent with the literature. The R-SPQ-2F is therefore recommended to assess students’ approaches to learning, and further studies into its cultural specificity are recommended.