e-Uluslararası Eğitim Araştırmaları Dergisi

Öz

In this study, the item order effect was investigated using the self-efficacy perception scale for computational thinking. 946 participants consisting of 8th-grade students participated in the research. Participants were first administered the original form of the scale, in which the dimensions were sequential and each item was presented in the relevant subdimension. One month later, a second form in which the order of the items was completely random was administered to the same group. Analyzes revealed no significant difference in the group's total mean score between the two forms. Additionally, the study showed the extent to each individual participant's total and factor scores varied between the two forms, and the difference was negligible. Another remarkable finding is that sequentially ordering items representing the same dimension contributes positively to the internal consistency reliability of the scale. Confirmatory factor analyses were performed for both forms, revealing good model fit with similar index values; This shows that randomizing the item order does not disrupt the structure of the scale. In addition, factor loading differences between the models were also examined. Finally, measurement invariance was examined and it was found that there was a solid level of measurement invariance between the two forms. In future studies, instead of creating random forms, forms in which the order of the items is consciously manipulated can be used and thus contextual effects can be examined. It is also suggested that the item order effect can be examined in the context of many demographic characteristics and different item types.