The Quality of Teachers’ Educational Practices: Internal Validity and Applications of a New Self-evaluation Questionnaire

Abstract

This research investigates teachers’ educational practices in kindergarten and primary schools. Teachers should be able to ensure effective teaching-learning processes, but also to support a positive school climate thanks to a good classroom management. Self- evaluation instruments can help teachers to reflect on their own educational practices and to improve professional skills. The aims of this study are (1) to analyse the internal validity of a new self-evaluation instrument, named Teachers’ Educational Practices Questionnaire (TEP-Q) and (2) to examine the possible use of this instrument in pre-service teacher training. The sample consists of 307 in-service teachers of Northern, Central and Southern Italy. The results of three distinct Principal Axis Factor Analysis with Promax Rotation revealed two-factor structure for Communication and Classroom Organization areas and one-factor structure for Relationship. Significant differences emerged for type of school, type of teacher and years of teaching. As to the second aim, the TEP-Q was used for different groups of pre-service and in-service teachers training resulting effective for the improvement of professional skills’ range through shared reflection on educational practices.