Developing an effective lifelong learning scale (ELLS): Study of validity and reliability

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to develop an "Effective Lifelong Learning Scale (ELLS)" in Turkish language. The 48-item initial version of the ELLS was applied to a total of 742 (528 for EFA and 214 for CFA) student teachers. For item analysis, the results of the item loadings, the item analysis based on the correlations and the item analysis based on the difference between the upper and lower group means were evaluated together. The single-factor construct and the 33 items were obtained. The percentage of the variance that the single-factor construct was able to explain was 41.68%. The fit indices obtained (?2/df: 3.39; RMSEA: .057; GFI: .84; AGFI: .82; RMR: .033; SRMR: .044; NFI; .97; NNFI: .98; CFI: .98) were evaluated, and the construct was confirmed to have a good fit. The Cronbach's alpha (a) internal consistency coefficient was computed to be .96. This scale is a supplementary tool for the evaluation of individuals' success in lifelong learning as well as their level of characteristics that will lead to effective lifelong learning.