Development of a collaboration skills scale for middle school students: Validity and reliability study

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Recepoğlu Özgür B., Ormancı Ü., Belen H.

Kocaeli Üniversitesi Eğitim Dergisi (Online), cilt.9, sa.1, ss.166-189, 2026 (TRDizin)

Özet

Modern educational systems emphasize fostering students’ social, emotional and interpersonal competencies alongside academic achievement. Within this framework, collaboration skills have become essential for enabling learners to communicate effectively in group settings, exchange ideas, reach agreements and accomplish shared goals through social interaction. This study aimed to develop a multidimensional instrument that can accurately and consistently measure collaboration skills among middle school students. The research was conducted within the scope of the general survey model and analyses were made using the data obtained from 844 students studying in public secondary schools with different socio-economic levels in Bursa Province. During the development process, the 36-item draft form was designed based on theoretical foundations and expert evaluations. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) resulted in a four-factor structure (teamwork and cooperation, exchange of ideas, consensus and collaboration, social interaction) accounting for 56.9% of the total variance, with factor loadings ranging from .45 to .73. The final version of the scale comprised 17 items. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) indicated a satisfactory model fit (X²/df = 1.79; RMSEA = .043; CFI = .94; IFI= .94; TLI= .93). Additionally, Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α = .88) confirmed the high reliability of the scale. Overall, the findings confirm that the Collaboration Skills Scale is a valid instrument that can measure the collaboration skills of middle school students in a multidimensional and reliable way. This scale can be used as an important assessment tool for teachers in planning classroom practices and supporting students' social-emotional development.