Abstract
BackgroundIn medical education research, various questionnaires are often used to study possible relationships between strategies and approaches to teaching and learning and the outcome of these. However, judging the applicability of such questionnaires or the interpretation of the results is not trivial.MethodsAs a way to develop teacher thinking, teaching strategy profiles were calculated for teachers in a research intensive department at Karolinska Institutet. This study compares the sum score, that was inherent in the questionnaire used, with an Item Response Theory (IRT) approach. Three teaching dimensions were investigated and the intended sum scores were investigated by IRT analysis.ResultsAgreements as well as important differences were found. The use of the sum score seemed to agree reasonably with an IRT approach for two of the dimensions, while the third dimension could not be identified neither by a the sum score, nor by an IRT approach, as the items included showed conflicting messages.ConclusionsThis study emphasizes the possibilities to gain better insight and more relevant interpretation of a questionnaire by use of IRT. A sum score approach should not be taken for granted. Its use has to be thoroughly evaluated.
Highlights
In medical education research, various questionnaires are often used to study possible relationships between strategies and approaches to teaching and learning and the outcome of these
If the sample of medical teachers could be considered as a sample from the population underlying the construction of the Vermunt questionnaire, we would expect a reasonable agreement between the sum score approach and a suitable Item Response Theory (IRT) approach
This study indicates that an IRT approach can give an insight beyond the scope of a sum score when estimating a teacher strategy profile from a questionnaire
Summary
Various questionnaires are often used to study possible relationships between strategies and approaches to teaching and learning and the outcome of these. An example of such a questionnaire is designed by Professor Jan Vermunt at University of Leiden, Netherlands The aim of this questionnaire is to generate thinking about ones teaching practice by revealing tendencies in a teacher’s teaching practice towards the ‘taking over’ or ‘activating’ of a) the application of knowledge, b) meaning of knowledge and c) reproduction of knowledge [1]. This questionnaire was not intended as a tool for research, but a way to provide feedback to teachers on their teaching strategies as an intervention to develop teaching practices at the department.
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