Assessing the comparability of teacher-related constructs in TIMSS 2015 across 46 education systems: an alignment optimization approach

Leah Natasha Glassow,Kajsa Yang Hansen,Victoria Rolfe

doi:10.1007/s11092-020-09348-2

Abstract

Research related to the “teacher characteristics” dimension of teacher quality has proven inconclusive and weakly related to student success, and addressing the teaching contexts may be crucial for furthering this line of inquiry. International large-scale assessments are well positioned to undertake such questions due to their systematic sampling of students, schools, and education systems. However, researchers are frequently prohibited from answering such questions due to measurement invariance related issues. This study uses the traditional multiple group confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA) and an alignment optimization method to examine measurement invariance in several constructs from the teacher questionnaires in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2015 across 46 education systems. Constructs included mathematics teacher’s Job satisfaction, School emphasis on academic success, School condition and resources, Safe and orderly school, and teacher’s Self-efficacy. The MGCFA results show that just three constructs achieve invariance at the metric level. However, an alignment optimization method is applied, and results show that all five constructs fall within the threshold of acceptable measurement non-invariance. This study therefore presents an argument that they can be validly compared across education systems, and a subsequent comparison of latent factor means compares differences across the groups. Future research may utilize the estimated factor means from the aligned models in order to further investigate the role of teacher characteristics and contexts in student outcomes.

Highlights

1.1 Teacher quality: context and comparabilityInternationally, teachers have been cited as the most important school-level determinant of academic success (Darling-Hammond 2000; Hattie 2003; Rivkin et al 2005; Kyriakides et al 2013; Nilsen and Gustafsson 2016a, 2016b)
I am content with my profession as a teacher I am satisfied with being a teacher at this school I find my work full of meaning and purpose I am enthusiastic about my job 4 = “Very often” 3 = “Often” 2 = “Sometimes” 1 = “Never or almost never”
I am content with my profession as a teacher and My work inspires me hold completely invariant factor loading estimates across all systems

Summary

Introduction

1.1 Teacher quality: context and comparabilityInternationally, teachers have been cited as the most important school-level determinant of academic success (Darling-Hammond 2000; Hattie 2003; Rivkin et al 2005; Kyriakides et al 2013; Nilsen and Gustafsson 2016a, 2016b). Despite decades of research, there is still considerable debate over the importance of particular teacher characteristics. A myriad of studies conducted using international large-scale assessment data have found mixed results (Goe 2007; Nilsen and Gustafsson 2016a, 2016b; Toropova et al 2019). With this in mind, Goe (2007) recommends that more research on teacher characteristics be conducted with a particular focus on the teaching context

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Conclusion