Acta Didactica Napocensia
Volume 10 Number 4, pages 41-54
Published: 25 December 2017
Sevda Göktepe
Yıldız, Ahmet Şükrü Özdemir
Abstract: The purpose of this study was
to develop a test to determine spatial ability of middle school students. The participants were 704 middle school students (6th,
7th and 8th grade) who were studying at
different schools from Istanbul. Item analysis, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, reliability analysis were
used to analyse the data. Exploratory factor analysis revealed
three factors: spatial visualization, spatial orientation, and spatial
relations in accordance with the determined theoretical framework. Confirmatory
factor analysis confirmed that these three factors constituted a model-with
good fit. The Cronbachs alpha reliability coefficient for the whole of the
scale was found to be .802. The findings obtained showed us that the test which
was composed of twenty three items was a valid and reliable measuring
instrument.
Key words: spatial ability, test development, item analysis, middle school
students