MULTIDIMENSIONALITY OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT CONSTRUCT: THE EXPLORATORY AND CONFIRMATORY ITEM RESPONSE MODEL.

This study demonstrates the use of the multidimensional item response theory (MIRT) to investigate the internal structure of a construct exploratively and confirmatively. Based on data from 657 Islamic university students (65% female) spread across Indonesia, MIRT was used to examine the factor structure of the items measuring student engagement. The MIRT results supported the multidimensional structure of the scale. Most notably, the comparison of the investigated models supported the within-item multidimensional structure in which almost all items fit 3-factor loadings among all measured domains (cognitive, behavioral, and social). Furthermore, vector depictions of the items in a 3-dimensional space are offered to give the reader a vivid picture of their multidimensionality. The paper ends with an overview of MIRT in scale development and dimensionality assessment to didactically enhance readers’ awareness of its usefulness as a psychometric tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]