Conceptualising Malaysian Chinese primary school students’ quality of school life: a mixed methods study

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study aims to establish the dimensions that explain the Malaysian Chinese primary school students’ quality of school life. This study employed a mixed-methods convergent parallel design. Quantitative data were collected from 649 Grade 5 Malaysian National Chinese primary school students, and six students were purposively identified to participate in a focus group interview. Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis were used to identify the factor structures of the QSL scale. Quantitative findings informed six extracted dimensions: (1) positive affect, (2) teacher-student relations, (3) friendship, (4) opportunity, (5) negative affect, and (6) achievement that possibly explains the Malaysian Chinese students’ quality of school life. Qualitative findings provided insights into the quantitative findings on the conceptualisation of quality of school life and proposed adding new dimensions. The findings suggest a need to develop a locally relevant Chinese version of quality of school life scale to be used in future studies.This study aims to establish the dimensions that explain the Malaysian Chinese primary school students’ quality of school life. This study employed a mixed-methods convergent parallel design. Quantitative data were collected from 649 Grade 5 Malaysian National Chinese primary school students, and six students were purposively identified to participate in a focus group interview. Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis were used to identify the factor structures of the QSL scale. Quantitative findings informed six extracted dimensions: (1) positive affect, (2) teacher-student relations, (3) friendship, (4) opportunity, (5) negative affect, and (6) achievement that possibly explains the Malaysian Chinese students’ quality of school life. Qualitative findings provided insights into the quantitative findings on the conceptualisation of quality of school life and proposed adding new dimensions. The findings suggest a need to develop a locally relevant Chinese version of quality of school life scale to be used in future studies.