Development and Validation of Research Instrument Conceptual Understanding of STEM Skills Questionnaire for Achievement of Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract

This study aimed to develop a questionnaire for assessing students' conceptual comprehension of the connection between STEM skills and the achievement of sustainable development goals across three major categories: general skills (GS), social skills (SS), and academic skills (AS). Conceptual understanding of the Stem Skills Questionnaire (CUSSQ) would be used to assess students' understanding of this relationship across three broad categories. Following a thorough literature review and focus group discussions, the tool's original version was pilot-tested with 350 students from public secondary schools. The final tool had 47 items total, each with a Likert scale of 5 points. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using PLS smart version 4 and a factor loading of less than 0.5 was carried out. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was employed to evaluate the model's precision. The test results confirmed that the model is accurate and valid. The overall study's findings supported the use of the CUSSQ in assessing students' conceptual understanding and readiness for 21st-century abilities necessary for accomplishing sustainable development goals.