Design and validation of the Autonomous Learning Skills Assessment Scale (ALSAS) for university students

Román-Cao E.; López-Padrón A.; Deroncele-Acosta A. · Interactive Learning Environments (2026) · DOI: 10.1080/10494820.2025.2565679

Resumen

Autonomous learning in higher education requires the strengthening of cognitive, metacognitive, and procedural skills that enable students to manage, transfer, and effectively communicate their learning. However, there remains a gap in the development and validation of specific scales that comprehensively and contextually assess these dimensions with sufficient psychometric rigor. This gap limits both research and educational interventions aimed at fostering learner autonomy. The objective of this study was to design and validate the Autonomous Learning Skills Assessment Scale (ALSAS) for university students. An instrumental study with a quantitative approach was conducted. The scale was administered to a sample of 503 university students and validated through expert judgment and factor analysis. The exploratory factor analysis revealed factor loadings above 0.68 for all 26 items, with a single component explaining 72.48% of the variance and showing high internal consistency (α = 0.985). The confirmatory factor analysis indicated acceptable model fit indices (RMSEA = 0.083; SRMR = 0.031; CFI = 0.903; TLI = 0.895), thereby supporting the structural validity of the instrument. The ALSAS is a psychometrically robust tool for assessing key autonomous learning skills in university contexts and offers valuable diagnostic, formative, and curricular applications in higher education. Its limitations and implications are discussed.

Instituciones: Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola