Cross-cultural validity of the “Classroom Motivational Climate Questionnaire”: comparison between French and Spanish students

Abstract

The objective of this study was to obtain evidence about the cross-cultural validity of the “Classroom Motivational Climate Questionnaire” (CMCQ), developed recently for Secondary and High-School students. With this purpose, French and Spanish Secondary and High School students’ results were compared. A total of 749 French students formed the group to be compared with the original Spanish sample. To validate the CMCQ, confirmatory factor analyses, reliability and correlation and regression analyses were made. The results showed that CMCQ is a reliable and valid instrument to measure motivational climate in France as in Spain. It allows detecting which learning patterns can to be changed for improvement, and predicts to a large extent the satisfaction level with the teacher. Likewise it showed some existing differences between Spanish and French students in the motivational role attributed to some teacher’s strategies, differences whose theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

El objetivo de este estudio es analizar la validez transcultural del “Cuestionario de Clima Motivacional de Clase” (CMCQ), desarrollado recientemente para alumnos de Secundaria y Bachillerato. Con este fin se han comparado los resultados de alumnos franceses y españoles de educación secundaria y bachillerato. Un total de 749 alumnos franceses se comparó con la muestra original española. Para validar el CMCQ se llevaron a cabo análisis factoriales confirmatorios y análisis de fiabilidad, correlación y regresión. Los resultados han demostrado que el CMCQ es un instrumento fiable y válido para medir el clima motivacional lo mismo en Francia que en España. Permite detectar qué patrones de enseñanza podemos cambiar si queremos mejorar, y predice en alto grado el nivel de satisfacción con el profesor. Asimismo, se han manifestado algunas diferencias existentes en el valor motivador que los alumnos atribuyen a algunas estrategias del profesor, diferencias cuyas implicaciones teóricas y prácticas se analizan.