Applying the Many-Facet Rasch Model to Evaluate Learning Motivation in Physical Education

Learning motivation plays a crucial role in fostering student engagement and long-term participation in physical education. To promote motivation effectively, it is essential to establish a reliable and valid measurement tool. This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Learning Motivation in Physical Education Questionnaire (LMPEQ), originally developed using Classical Test Theory. The questionnaire was administered to 300 middle school students following their participation in 15 gymnastics sessions and was analyzed using the Many-Facet Rasch Model. The results indicated that all items demonstrated acceptable model fit, confirming their appropriate functioning within a five-point Likert scale. However, several items from the competence, fear of failure, and learning attitude subscales were clustered at similar difficulty levels, limiting their ability to capture the full spectrum of students’ perceived learning motivation. Further refinement is therefore required to improve the scale’s sensitivity to both high and low levels of motivation.