Dimensions of attitude towards higher mental function curricular objectives (HMCO): a partial order scalogram analysis

Abstract

The article illustrates the utilization of the POSA (Partial Order Scalogram Analysis) technique in the context of measuring teacher's attitude towards teaching Higher Mental Function Curricular Objectives (such as Comprehension, Analysis, etc.) to the disadvantaged learner. This technique is a new development in the field of scale analysis, and it constitutes an extension of Guttman's scalogram analysis. It is a significant step toward utilizing ordered scales in multidimensional setting. It is based on the principle of identifying subsets of response profiles to scale items, which can be ordered in a way that reveals an additional dimension of the measured trait. The interpretation of this second dimension is facilitated by an auxiliary analysis technique labelled Lattice Space Analysis. In the scale described in this study the second dimension of the attitude toward Higher Mental Function Curricular Objectives was identified as the complacency-instrumentality polarity. The negative end of this dimension is characterized by the belief that rote learning is a sufficient goal for disadvantaged learners, since they are not capable to master comprehension objectives. The positive end of this dimension is characterized by the belief that rote learning is a useful stage toward further learning, and eventually it will help mastering comprehension objectives, too.