The Proceedings Book of The 8th Annual Basic Science International Conference

The Development of Student’s Attitude Assessment

Instrument in Statistic Learning
Lian G. Otaya1, a),Sumarlin Adam2, and Herson Anwar 3)

1
Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teaching Training, IAIN Sultan Amai Gorontalo, Gorontalo, Indonesia
Jalan Gelatik No. 1 Heledulaa Utara Kota Timur Kota Gorontalo, Gorontalo, Indonesia 96119
2
Faculty of Ushuluddin and Dakwah, IAIN Sultan Amai Gorontalo, Gorontalo, Indonesia
3
Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teaching Training, IAIN Sultan Amai Gorontalo, Gorontalo, Indonesia
a)
Corresponding author: lianotaya82@ iaingorontalo.ac.id

Abstract. This study aims to solve practical, contextual and actual problems related to the development of the instrument
of student attitude instruments in statistics learning. The population as the test instrument in this study is all students of
Semester IV of Islamic Education Management, Faculty Tarbiyah and Teaching Sciences, State Islamic of Gorontalo.
The technique sampling conducted in this research is random sampling with 111 students as the sample. The data
collection is a questionnaire of student’s attitude based on the dimensions, indicators and items of statements assessed by
using Likert scale with 6 choices of answers. Technic of data analysis is the factor analysis by using the exploratory
factor analysis (EFA) which is appropriated with the number of factors which is theoretically estimated. The finding
shows that the development of student attitude in statistics learning has fulfilled the process of the development of
instrument by noticing technical aspect and its substances. These findings become relevant for statistical lecturers to cope
with low student attitudes in statistics learning. A positive attitude allows students to develop statistical thinking skills,
apply the knowledge gained in everyday life, and have a pleasant experience.

INTRODUCTION

Statistics is urgently needed in higher education level in every country, because this skill is really needed by the
students in their work. The challenge faced by lecturer is there are many students that consider this lecture as a very
difficult, complex, and scary thing. May be this presumption is based on the material in this class which is
dominated by counting. Even, mastering the counting will not be that hard if we are keeping practice.
Students’ understanding is broadly consisted of feeling conviction and tendency response in positive and negative.
Attitude is broadly consists of the trust about feeling and the behavior of tendency to the directed object 1. Attitude in
here is defined as an attitude combination of students to the use of statistics in their major and the attitude of
students when learn about statistics2,3. Therefore, the attitude is more directed on the tendency of the response in
positive or negative form. So, the attitude is more directed to the tendency of response in positive or negative form.
The Characteristic of students which is positive attitude in statistics learning showed by their ability in developing
thinking skill in the daily life, and their longing to learn advanced statistics in the future4. The Characteristics from
the students who have negative attitude can be identified by their absence in the class. Suggest that lecturer should
play a role in handling two groups of students who have different attitude 5,6.
Students who have negative attitudes may create problems in effective learning. Negative attitudes are widely
perceived and tend to degrade students' academic performance in statistics learning, preventing them from acquiring
statistical thinking skills, and having confidence in solving statistical problems in the real world 7. Studies by
Karmawati stated that some students admitted that he did not feel sad even though their test scores were bad, and
they were not trying to improve their ability in order to get better grades8. It shows that the student does not have a
high interest in statistics learning.

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Although students participate in the classroom, it does not guarantee that students will understand and use statistics
to think practically. In achieving the ability to apply Statistics well, good value is also not enough. Students who are
able to apply statistics are they who understand the importance of statistics in their personal and professional life,
and they believe they can understand and use statistics well9.
In their research, Judi, et al., (2011) found that the lecturer of statistics usually face big challenge when they are with
students in the class. That big challenge is the students are not quite interesting with the subject. The students show
the negative attitude and uninterested behavior such as feeling tired in the class, they cannot appreciate the benefits
of statistics, they cannot be focus in the class, and also they bother their friends 10. This kind of attitude is very
important because it influences a whole learning process in the class. The positive attitude helps students to develop
statistical thinking skill in implementing the knowledge in their daily life and in having a nice experience.
Some researches had been done related to the assessment of students’ attitude in statistics learning. Schau (2003)
introduced an instrument called as Survey of Attitude towards Statistics (SATS). This instrument is used to measure
six attitude components which consist of influence, cognitive ability, difficulty value, interest and effort 11.
Onwuegbuzie (2003) said that from two-thirds for four-fifth students feel anxious about statistics and the
methodological research method. Of course this assumption needs further research12. By creating an instrument to
measure statistical worry in the Rusian sample, the researcher adapts the instrument of Schau (2003) about Survey of
Attitude towards Statistics (SATS)13. This survey conducted by Nolan, et. al (2012) said that the number of surveys
had been done in purpose to measure the students’ attitude in statistics learning, but the validity comparison and the
reliability only based on the interpretation of the value that they need 14. Unfried, et. al (2015) suggest the use of
those four factors to measure students’ attitude in 21 th century15.
In Indonesia, the study conducted by Margono (2014) develop the attitude measurement instrument of statistics on
students at the Research and education evaluation program, post graduate program in a State University by using the
semantic differential scale16. Herlina (2016) did a research about the comparison of learning achievement observed
by interest and GPA on statistics lecturing17.
Various researches above show that many researcher are interested in assessing and valuing the attitude of students
in predicting academic works in statistics learning and it helps to observe the resulted attitudes from that learning
practice. Meanwhile, the people who want to develop the attitude instrument are so tiny in numbers. Whereas, the
presence of valid and reliable instrument to measure students’ attitude in statistic learning is absolutely needed to fix
the negative perspectives which consider this lecture as the difficult one and it is really scared to be studied. Of
course this assumption needs further research, to prove the existence of the developed instrument validity and after
that it empirically shows the measurement results. The analysis which can be used in this research is exploratory
(exploratory factor analysis, EFA) and (confirmatory factor analysis, CFA) until it gets suitable model18. Then, it is
really needed to estimate the construct reliability that shows the reliable instrument.

EXPERIMENTAL DETAILS

This study is a development research that aims to solve practical, contextual and actual problems related to the
development of the instrument of attitude assessment and student interest in statistics learning. The development
procedure used is procedural development because it is a descriptive reserach, which outlines the steps that must be
followed in producing the product. The development procedure of this instrument refers to the development of non-
test instrument proposed by Mardapi with the following steps: a) Developing dimensions and indicators of research
variables; b) Making the outlines of the instrument; c) Setting magnitudes or parameters; f) Writing items of
instruments that may take the form of questions or statements; e) Expert validation stage; g) Revisions or
improvements based on expert’s advice; h) copying the instrument limited experiment’s needs; i) Testing of
instruments in the field is a part of the empirical process; j) Determining the validity and reliability of the
instrument; 10) Assembling the valid instrument items for final instrument 19.
Population in this research is all students of Semester IV of Islamic Education Management Faculty Tarbiyah and
Teaching Sciences, State Islamic academic year 2016/2017. The technique sampling conducted in this research is
random sampling which consist of 111 students as the instrument research subject.

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The instrument used to measure attitudes and students’ interest in the statistics learning at this study is a
questionnaire of attitudes and students’ interest based on dimensions, indicators and items of statements assessed by
using Likert scale with 6 choices of answers for a positive and negative statement.
Technic of data analysis is the analysis factor by using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) which appropriates with
the number of estimated factors. The Analysis was conducted through the following steps: 1). Correlation matrix
which is generalized for all items (as variable) and form correlation coefficient order by each other. That coefficient
correlation geometrically is the cosines function. In this matrix, it is required some items as follows: (a) Kaiser-
Mayer-Olkin Measures of Sampling Adequacy (KMO MSA) is an index which compares coefficient correlation. (b)
Barlett Test of sphericity (X2), is an independent level of test from variables. (c) Anti Image Correlation (AIC) with
criteria measures of sampling adequacy (MSA) > 0.5; 2) using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) approach, it is
extracted from correlation matrix results factor with some criteria as follow: (a) Communalities as joint variant
factor; (b) Scree plot is a diagram which show how big the tendency of Eigenvalues degradation, and it is used to
subjectively determine the used factor: 3) after that, the factor is rotated by maximizing the relation among variables
with some literacies. Varimax method is selected in purpose to rotate the initial factor, so in the end there is a
rotation result in which one column of available values as much as possible approaches the value column as close to
zero as possible. The statement item will be aborted when the rotation on the factor load <0.5 or the largest load is in
two simultaneous factors (they measure more than one theoretical dimension); 4) Giving the name of the factors that
formed.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

As the purpose of this research, in developing the attitude instrument and students; the interest in statistic learning,
so this instrument is experimented to 111 students to examine the attitude instrument which consists of 32 items of
attitude instrument with 21 positive questions and 11 negative items. The 32 items of attitude instrument are the
combination of five attitude dimensions by Sax (1980), those are: characteristics of behavior are aim, intensity,
vastness, consistency, spontaneity20.
The factor analysis as the research requirement test analysis by using Kaiser Meyer Olkin Measure of Sampling
Adequacy (KMO MSA) and Bartlett Test of Sphericity is managed by the help of SPSS for Windows Version 24
software. At the first step of factor analysis for the attitude instrument is obtained the 32×32 correlation matrix as
the computation result which is used as reference with factor analysis result about the sample adequacy which shows
Chi-square values at Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity which has value 3138,916 with freedom degree 496 and probability
value p 0,0001. This result shows that the sample consists of 111 students. The sample used has been enough or
qualified to be much more analyzed, and it was also empowered by using aiser Meyer Olkin Measure of Sampling
Adequacy (KMO MSA) as much 0,925 which was bigger than 0,5, so it can be concluded that the result was so
great, because the correlation matrix formed was not an identity matrix. The complete result can be seen at the
TABLE 1 below:
TABLE 1. Output KMO and Bartlett's Test For 32 Item
Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy .925
Bartlett's Test of Sphericity Approx. Chi-Square 3138.916
Df 496
Sig. .000

Based on the output Anti Image Matrices which was involved on Anti-image Correlation (AIC) along the main
diagonal with sign ‘a’ showed from 32 items there was 1 item which had low correlation under 0,5,, that was on
item 25 which only 0,319, the rest had high correlation above 0,5. The item which has MSA value < 0,5, it was
supposed to be excluded and the test was retook because the purpose of the factor analysis was to get the dominant
factors. Therefore, from the output Anti Image Matrices, item 25 was excluded from the test and the process of test
had been retaken from the beginning and it became 31 items to be involved. At the step of factor analysis
furthermore had obtained 31×31 correlation matrix as the computation result which was used to show the Chi-square
value at Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity as much 3116,024 with the freedom degree 465 and the probability value p
0,0001. This result showed that the sample consists of 111 students. The sample used has been enough or qualified

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 The Proceedings Book of The 8th Annual Basic Science International Conference

to be much more analyzed, and it was also empowered by using aiser Meyer Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy
(KMO MSA) as much 0,930 which was bigger than 0,5, So it can be concluded that the result was so great, because
the correlation matrix formed was not an identity matrix. The complete result can be seen at the TABLE 2 below:
TABLE 2. Output KMO and Bartlett's Test For 31 Item
Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy .930
Bartlett's Test of Sphericity Approx. Chi-Square 3116.024
Df 465
Sig. .000

Based on the output Anti Image Matrices at the anti-image correlation (AIC) column shows that there is no
correlation value under 0,50, therefore the process is continued with factoring by using Principal Component
Analysis (PCA) exploratory method at the output communalities for item 1 as much 0,851. This means that 85,1%
variance of item 1 can be explained by the formed factor. The item which has the biggest variance is item 17 as
much 98,6% and the item which has the smallest variance that is item 10 as much 63,5%.
The determination of the number of factors which is decided to represent the variables which will be analyzed based
on the eigenvalue and also the value of the variance’s total percentage. If a variable has eigenvalue which is ≥ 1, it
is considered as a factor. At the output total variance explained, with 31 items which are included to the factor
analysis, it is obtained the eigenvalues >1 which consists of 5 factors. Based on the cumulative percentage, it can be
explained that the variance from five factors, that is the first factor with the variance as much 65,77%, the second
factor with the variance as much 5,73%, the third factor with the variance as much 4,11%, the fourth factor with the
variance as much 3,40% and the fifth factor with the variance as much 3,24%. Therefore, from the 5 factors, there is
82,28% of variance which can be explained. This thing is also shown by the scree plot in the graphic which
describes the relation between the factor and eigenvalue. The axis Y shows the eigenvalues, and the axis X shows
the number of factor. From the first, the second, the third, the fourth, and the fifth, the direction of the line is shortly
declined. After that, it is under the number 1 from Y axis eigenvalues, as shown in FIGURE 1 below:

(a) Scree Plot instrument of attitude For 32 Item (b) Scree Plot instrument of attitude For 31 Item
FIGURE 1. Scree Plot instrument of attitude

It is concluded that the number of factors in measuring the attitude of students to the statistics is 5 factors as the
number of dimension or indicator which can be theoretically estimated. This thing shows that the developed
instrument in measuring the attitude of students through the statistics is a valid reviewed from unidimensionally
construct validity.
Then, the matrix factor, the factor is transformed into the simpler matrix to make easy the interpretation. The factor
rotation which uses the varimax procedure, it obtained the output Rotation Component Matrix with the rotation
converged in 6 iterations, it can be seen from the covered components at every factor. The coefficient of factor
which has absolute value > 0,5 shows the high relation between factor and component. Those components are: at the
factor 1 joined the item 6,7,8,9,10, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 and item 30, at factor 2 joined item 1,2,3,4, and item 5, at the

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factor 3 joined the item 15,16, 17, 18, 19, and item 20, at factor 4 joined the item 21, 22, 23, 24 and item 31,
meanwhile at factor 5 joined item 11, 12, 13, and item 14.
Based on the factor analysis result, it can be concluded that 31 items are analyzed in the grouping into 5 factors.
Those all five factors can explain 82,28%% from the variability of 31 items which are analyzed. After the
component from each factor is formed, furthermore it is given the name based on the theory assumed by Sax that the
attitude dimension consists of the dimensions as follow: characteristics of behavior are aim, intensity, vastness,
consistency, spontaneity. Then, the naming of factor content at the item can be seen in the TABLE 3 below:

TABLE 3. The naming of factor and factor distribution at the item

Factor Factor’s Name Item Distribution
1 Intensity 6,7,8,9,10, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
2 Characteristics of behaviour are aim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
3 Spontaneity 15,16, 17, 18, 19, 20
4 Vastness 21, 22, 23, 24, 31
5 Consistency 11, 12, 13,14

The factor distribution at the item can be seen in the appearance of the component plot in the rotated space which is
the result of factor rotation as shown at the FIGURE 2 below:

FIGURE 2. Component Plot in Rotated Space.

Taking a close look of output factor transformation matrix, it is obtained the absolute value which is located in the
main diagonal as > 0,5 that is between component 1and component 2 as much 0,909,between component 2 and
component 3 as much 0,831, between component 3 and component 4 as much 0,894, between component 4 and
component 5 as much 0,891 and between component 5 and component 2 as much 0,863. This thing shows that those
all five formed factors have high correlation, it can be seen at TABLE 4 below:

TABLE 4. Component Transformation Matrix

Component 1 2 3 4 5
1 .909 .347 .145 .111 .142
2 -.147 -.218 .831 .326 .367
3 -.151 .227 -.349 .894 .071
4 .014 -.190 -.376 -.167 .891
5 -.360 .863 .160 -.234 .213
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Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.

Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization.

The data above describe the factor value which explains the indicator variance. It is noticed that every indicator
always has a positive value. This thing gives the information about the good correlation among all indicators. In the
other words, the positive value does not create the confusion among indicators. Based on the exploratory factor
analysis, it can be concluded that the developed instrument is valid to measure the attitude of students in the
statistics learning and it is empirically proved. It is obtained the valid instrument of the items to be made as a final
instrument in measuring the attitude of students which consists of 31 items with the reliability coefficient as served
at TABLE 5 as follow:
TABLE 5. Reliability Coefficient
Experiment Reliability Coefficient
First 0,957
Second 0,985

Based on the summary table of the reliability coefficient at the first test and the second test to the attitude
instrument, which makes the increase of reliability coefficient to the first test as much 0,957 and the second test as
much 0,985. If it is compared by using the alpha testing criteria > 0,7, so the instrument is approved as a reliable
instrument. The result which is showed by the reliability value for the attitude instrument at the first test or the
second test is very competent so the developed attitude instrument can be used as the measuring tool to measure the
attitude of students in the statistics learning.
These findings become relevant for statistical lecturers to cope with low student attitudes in statistics learning. A
positive attitude allows students to develop statistical thinking skills, apply the knowledge gained in everyday life,
and have a pleasant experience. On the other hand, negative attitudes make them feel tired to learn, unable to
appreciate the benefits of Statistics, unable to focus in the classroom, tend to interfere during class and often absent
in class. The instrument assessment of student attitudes which is developed can be used as a reference to assess
attitudes of students in other subjects that have been rarely lecturers do so in accordance with the assessment
process. The developers or researchers may conduct assessments and assessments on other dimensions and
indicators of attitudes in addition to this product.

SUMMARY
The development of student attitudes instruments to study Statistics in the Islamic Education Management has
fulfilled the process of developing the instrument by noticing the technical and substantive aspects. It can be
concluded that 31 items are analysed in the grouping into 5 factors. Those all five factors can explain 82,28%%
from the variability of 31 items which are analysed and it is named based on the theory assumed by Sax that the
attitude dimension consists of the dimensions: characteristics of behaviour are aim, intensity, vastness, consistency,
spontaneity. So the resulted instrument can be used to measure and assess the students’ attitudes in the Statistics
learning.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would also like to show our gratitude to the committee of the 8th Annual BaSIC Conference 2018 for accepting
our manuscript to be published in this conference proceeding.

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