Psychometric Properties of an Agriculture Teacher Efficacy Scale for Senior Secondary Schools in Eswatini

Mpendulo Mathenjwa,M.p Dlamini

doi:10.14738/assrj.612.7470

Abstract

Teacher efficacy is an important motivational attribute influencing teacher performance and student learning outcomes. Teacher efficacy is multidimensional yet inconsistencies exist on the nature of construct that best measure teacher efficacy across different subjects and contexts. The purpose of the study was to explore the psychometric properties of the agriculture teacher efficacy scale adapted from the Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale (TSES) of Tschannen-Moran and Hoy (2001). Data were collected from 161 beginning agriculture teachers at senior secondary schools in Eswatini. Item analysis and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using principal component and verimax rotation were used to analyse the data. The findings indicate that the agriculture teacher efficacy scale was reliable (.92) with inter-item correlation value of .41 to .67 and items discrimination index of ≥ .40). EFA revealed that the agriculture teacher efficacy scale had four factors explaining 47.7% of variance among the items which were instructional strategies, student engagement, classroom management, and practical work management. Conclusion was, the scale is valid to assess agriculture teacher efficacy. Recommendation was, further testing the agriculture teacher efficacy scale across school levels in teaching agriculture.

Highlights

Teacher efficacy (TE) is an important motivational attribute influencing goals teachers set for themselves; how much effort to expend; how they persevere in the face of difficulties; and how they show resilience to failures (Dybowski et al, 2016)
The item means of agriculture teacher efficacy ranged from 5.32 to 7.45 with an average standard deviation of 1.09, though one item (Item 18) had a fairly large standard deviation of 4.24 and with positive and high skewness
Data on item 18 were asymmetric and did not meet the normality prerequisite for exploratory factor analysis (EFA). This indicated that beginning agriculture teachers varied greatly concerning their capability to integrate content on current advances in agriculture

Summary

Introduction

Teacher efficacy (TE) is an important motivational attribute influencing goals teachers set for themselves; how much effort to expend; how they persevere in the face of difficulties; and how they show resilience to failures (Dybowski et al, 2016). TE refers to the teachers’ belief in the ability to organise and execute courses of action required to bring about desired outcomes in student learning (Tschannen-Moran et al, 2009). TE is grounded in Bandura’s self-efficacy theory, which is a tenet of the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). Teacher efficacy is domainsensitive and task specific (Bandura, 2006). Bandura (1997) identified four sources of efficacy information, which include: mastery experience; vicarious experiences; verbal persuasion and personal physiological factors. Teacher efficacy is formed by the teacher during pre-service teacher training and continue to develop during teaching practice. Teacher efficacy varies with school level and subject taught

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