DEVELOPMENT AND DELPHI-BASED CONTENT VALIDATION OF A CHEMISTRY LEARNING QUESTIONNAIRE: EVIDENCE FROM STEM FOUNDATION STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS, ATTITUDES, INTEREST, AND LEARNING CHALLENGES

Abstract

Chemistry is often perceived as a complex subject requiring conceptual understanding and analytical skills, which may affect students’ engagement and performance. This study developed and validated a questionnaire to assess the chemistry learning experiences of STEM Foundation students at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT). The questionnaire covered five domains: attitudes and interest towards chemistry, teaching methods and learning resources, conceptual understanding, laboratory practices and learning challenges, and students’ perceptions of chemistry. A two-round Delphi method involving five experts was used to establish content validity and refine the questionnaire items. Content validity was assessed using the Item Content Validity Index (I-CVI) and Scale Content Validity Index (S-CVI/Ave). In the second round, all items achieved acceptable I-CVI values of 0.80–1.00, while S-CVI/Ave values ranged from 0.97 to 1.00, indicating excellent content validity. The validated questionnaire was administered to 142 STEM Foundation students, and the data were analysed descriptively. Students reported generally positive chemistry learning experiences, with mean scores ranging from 3.84 to 4.11 across the five domains. However, the comparatively lower score for attitudes and interest suggests that greater attention should be given to student motivation and active engagement.