Preliminary Validation and Feasibility Testing of Malay-Adapted Instruments Measuring Student-Centred Learning among Nurse Educators

Abstract

Student-centred learning (SCL) plays a critical role in contemporary nursing education. Accurate assessment of SCL implementation requires instruments that are linguistically clear and psychometrically sound within the local context. A preliminary evaluation is essential before the large-scale deployment of adapted tools. This pilot study aimed to examine the content validity, feasibility, and internal consistency reliability of three Malay-adapted instruments measuring SCL application, instructors’ perceptions, and perceived barriers among nurse educators. A cross-sectional pilot study was conducted among 16 nurse educators recruited through random outreach across nursing education settings in Malaysia. The instruments underwent forward translation, followed by expert review involving two subject-matter experts and one language expert. Content validity was assessed using the Content Validity Index (CVI). Internal consistency reliability was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha. The instrument set achieved a CVI of 1.0, indicating full expert agreement on item relevance and clarity. Reliability analysis demonstrated moderate internal consistency for the refined Application of SCL Scale (α = 0.618), moderate consistency for the Perceptions Scale (α = 0.609), and good internal consistency for the Barriers Scale (α = 0.839). No missing data were recorded. The questionnaire was considered feasible, with an acceptable completion time and minimal wording adjustments. The Malay-adapted SCL instruments demonstrated acceptable preliminary reliability and strong content validity. These findings support their use in a subsequent full-scale study for further psychometric evaluation.