A Malaysian version of learning space preferences: a validation study

Objectives: This study aimed to validate a Malaysian version of a revised learning space questionnaire, as well as to test the utility of the revised questionnaire as a tool to investigate learning space preferences in a Malaysian medical school.

Methods:   This is a cross-sectional survey. A convenient sample of 310 preclinical students of a public medical school in Malaysia were invited to participate. Validation data were collected using a revised 40-item, 5-point Likert scale learning space questionnaire.  The questionnaires were administered online via a student e-learning platform.  Data analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS version 24.  Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to examine the factor structure of the revised questionnaire to provide evidence for construct validity.  To assess the internal consistency of the revised questionnaire, Cronbach's alpha coefficients (α) were computed across all the items as well as for items within each of the factor.

Results: A total of 223 (71.94%) preclinical students completed and returned the questionnaire. In the final analysis, exploratory factor analysis with principal axis factoring and an oblimin rotation identified a six-factor, 20-item factor solution. Reliability analysis reported good internal consistency for the revised questionnaire, with an overall Cronbach's alpha of 0.845, and Cronbach's alpha ranging from 0.800 to 0.925 for the six factors.

Conclusions:   This study established evidence for the construct validity and internal consistency of the revised questionnaire.  The revised questionnaire appears to have utility as an instrument to investigate learning space preferences in Malaysian medical schools.