In this study, we evaluate the reliability and validity of
Self-Assessment of All-Round Development (SAARD) Questionnaire developed by The
Hong Kong Polytechnic University when applied to two cohorts of students in
Hong Kong Community College. Despite of the drastic changes in the educational
system in Hong Kong, the SAARD questionnaire can still maintain a similar level
of reliability as compared to the pilot study carried out a decade ago.
However, this study reveals that there are too many items in the questionnaire
and fatigue effect is affecting the reliability of items near the end of the
survey. In addition, three of the items in the questionnaire have extremely
large variations, implying potential problems in the wording of questions
corresponding to these items. Remedies are also proposed in this study to
alleviate the problems identified in the SAARD questionnaire.
Cite this paper
Ho, W. T. and So, J. C. H. (2016). Issues in Measuring Generic Skills Using Self-Administered Questionnaire in a Community College in Hong Kong. Open Access Library Journal, 3, e2796. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1102796.
Braskamp, L.A., Trautvetter, L.C. and Ward, K. (2006) Putting Students First: How
Colleges Develop Students Purposefully. Anker Publishing Company,
Bolton.
Braxton, J.M. (2009) Understanding the Development
of the Whole Person. Journal of College
Student Development, 50, 573-575. http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/csd.0.0100
Kuh, G.D. (2009) What Student
Affairs Professionals Need to Know about Student Engagement. Journal of College Student Development, 50, 683-706. http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/csd.0.0099
Baxter Magolda, M.B. (2009) The
Activity of Meaning Making: A Holistic Perspective on College Student Development. Journal of College Student Development,
50, 621-639. http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/csd.0.0106
Pizzolato, J.E., Brown, E.L., Hicklen, S.T. and Chaudhari, P. (2009) Student Development, Student Learning: Examining
the Relation between Epistemologic Development and Learning. Journal of College Student Development, 50,
475-490. http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/csd.0.0093
Taylor, K.B. (2008)
Mapping the Intricacies of Young Adults’ Developmental Journey from Socially
Prescribed to Internally Defined Identities, Relationships, and Beliefs. Journal of College Student Development, 49,
215-234. http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/csd.0.0005
Fung, D., Lee, W. and Wong, S.L.P. (2006) Project on Assessing the
Development of Generic Competencies of PolyU Students—Report of Findings. Student
Affairs Office and Educational Development Centre, Hong Kong Polytechnic
University, Hong
Kong.
Fung,
D., Lee, W.
and Wong, S.L.P. (2007) A New Measure of Generic Competencies. Key Competencies—Skills for Life 2007 Conference, London, 12-13 July 2007.
So, C.H.J., Lai, S.F.H.,
Lam, D. and So, Y.L. (2011) Mapping the Impact on Holistic
Development: A Study of the Relationship between Generic Skills and Academic
Discipline Among Hong Kong Associate Degree Students. ICERI2011 Proceedings,
Madrid, 14-16 November, 2011, 6630-6638.
Herzog, A.R. and Bachman, J.G. (1981) Effects of Questionnaire Length on Response
Quality. Public Opinion Quarterly, 45, 549-559. http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/268687
MacCallum, R.C., Browne, M.W. and Sugawara, H.M. (1996) Power Analysis and Determination of Sample Size for
Covariance Structure Modeling. Psychological
Methods, 1, 130-149. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/1082-989X.1.2.130