HomeThe Asia-Pacific Education Researchervol. 19 no. 2 (2010)

Malaysian Students' Learning and Teaching at the Postgraduate Level

Pauline Goh Swee-choo | Bobbie Matthews

Discipline: Education

 

Abstract:

Development and validation of a 22-item Postgraduate Learning and Teaching Questionnaire (PG-LTQ) are described with data from three separate studies. The PG-LTQ is a self-report questionnaire assessing postgraduate students’ learning environment as it relates to their learning, teaching and the facilities and resources that assist their learning. In Study 1, exploratory factor analysis refined the initial pool of items to 22, while in Study 2, findings of exploratory factor analysis of the 22 items provided evidence for a three-factor solution (Learning, Teaching, and Facilities and Resources). In Study 3, results from structural equation modelling and confirmatory factor analysis provided further support for the results obtained from Study 2, but also indicated a higher order Learning Environment factor. Internal consistency estimates from Study 2 and 3 for the three factors were high. The results of the final study showed that: (a) the structural equation model developed fitted the questionnaire data well; (b) confirmatory factor analysis produced goodness of fit indices within an acceptable range; (c) the questionnaire appeared to be a reliable instrument that would assist in the assessment and improvement of the quality of postgraduate teaching and learning.