Development of the Student Perceptions of the College Instructional Laboratory Survey

Abstract

This paper reports the systematic development and validation of a new instrument for measuring student perceptions of laboratory instruction vis-à-vis instructor intentions for laboratory learning: The Student Perceptions of the College Instructional Laboratory Survey (SPCILS). The paper describes both the development and validation processes that resulted in a set of 20 items across five categories. These items were first validated by an expert panel and then found to have adequate test-retest reliability and with internally consistent categories. Instructors may find the SPCILS to be a useful tool for evaluating introductory science laboratory course design for the purpose of improving laboratory instruction.