Factor analysis and leveling of the analytical and planning skills of pre-service college administrators: A study in undergraduate administration

The study addresses the crucial yet under-researched analytical and planning skills of pre-service college administrators (APsCA) necessary for effective educational leadership. It pioneers by developing a situational judgment test (SJT) to evaluate these skills, given the absence of suitable assessment tools. Focusing on three constructs—cause/goal analysis, constraint analysis, and planning—the research utilizes exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), along with Fornell's discriminant validity test, to establish and confirm the psychometric properties of the SJT. Through regression and correlation analyses, it assesses the impact of demographic and academic variables on APsCA, particularly highlighting the different effects in urban versus rural environments. The EFA and CFA results with factor loadings above 0.30 and the average variance extracted (AVE) over 0.50 confirm the test's validity. Significant findings reveal a strong influence of urban settings in enhancing APsCA, underscored by a statistical significance of p < 0.05. Administrators' capabilities in cause/goal analysis are predominantly high, whereas constraint analysis varies, and planning skills need bolstering. Overall, the APsCA levels are classified as high to very high, suggesting a promising baseline for future educational leaders but also indicating specific areas for targeted skill development.