Measure Preservice Teachers Research Articles

Capturing Competence: The Design, Evaluation, and Implementation of a Video‐Based Instrument for Assessing Verbal Aggression Management Competence

ABSTRACTComplex competences, such as managing students' aggressive behaviour, are challenging to develop during teacher training. Recently, video‐based simulations have been considered promising, yet suitable assessment instruments are limitedly available. This paper reports on the design and evaluation of a video‐based assessment tool tailored to measure preservice teachers' verbal aggression management competence (V‐AMC) development. Design considerations for video‐based activities served as a framework, resulting in an assessment instrument consisting of video vignettes mirroring classroom situations concerning verbal aggressive behaviour, questions prompting situation‐specific skills development, and a coding scheme to analyse preservice teachers' answers. Furthermore, this paper discusses the results of the instrument's implementation on preservice teachers' (n = 182) V‐AMC. Findings support the appropriateness of the instrument in assessing V‐AMC levels and mapping the impact of a simulation‐based intervention. The data partially confirm the intervention's contribution to V‐AMC development. Implications for future interventions targeting competence development are discussed.

What Competencies and Capabilities Identify a Good Teacher? Design of an Instrument to Measure Preservice Teachers’ Perceptions

Teachers should not only be regarded as professionals with a large amount of knowledge that they must transmit but are also expected to fulfil other functions and possess other qualities to overcome the teaching challenge. This paper is aimed at designing and validating an instrument to identify preservice teachers’ perceptions about the competencies and capabilities that a good teacher should have. The study sample is made up of 230 university students who are in their teaching training practises and internships in schools. According to the consulted literature, we elaborated a questionnaire composed of 23 items that are subdivided into four dimensions: personal qualities, training, pedagogical aptitude, and interaction. We analysed reliability (Cronbach’s alpha value was 0.924, and, by dimensions, all values were higher than 0.75; the Orion accuracy coefficients by dimensions were all higher than 0.88) and construct validity, obtaining a good quality of the items (with factor loadings above 0.50), after eliminating one of them. We also obtained a high correlation between dimensions; the lowest value is 0.87. We have therefore achieved a final instrument made up of 22 items that helps identify the set of qualities that a good teacher must have and can serve as a guide for the design and planning of their initial and ongoing training.

Developing and validating the intention to use technology-enabled learning (I-TEL) scale

This article reports on the development and initial validation of the Intention to Use Technology-enabled Learning (I-TEL) Scale. Data from 313 preservice teachers were used to examine the instrument’s psychometric properties. Principal axis factoring (PAF) indicated a five-factor structure consisting of 22 items. The scale, as well as the subscales, indicated good internal consistency. Together, these tests indicate that the I-TEL is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring preservice teachers’ intention to use technology-enabled learning (TEL). Implications for teacher education research and practice are discussed.

Addressing Race and Implicit Bias in the Functional Behavior Assessment Process: A Pilot Study of Preservice Teacher Training Modules

ABSTRACT Despite decades of research and reform, exclusionary discipline remains disproportionately used with minoritized students and students with disabilities (SWD). The present study investigates how functional behavior assessment (FBA) and Positive Behavior Support Plan (PBSP) procedures can be taught in conjunction with an explicit focus on achieving equitable outcomes for minoritized SWD. Specifically, researchers created modules for preservice teachers focused on racial and cultural bias within the FBA and PBSP processes. In this manuscript, we will detail the development, delivery, and preservice teachers’ perceptions of modules, directly and explicitly challenge color-evasive FBA and PBSP practices, and consider how PBSPs can be culturally responsive. We present results of social validity surveys and the School Record Analysis (SRA), a tool used to measure preservice teachers’ implicit racial biases. Exploratory results suggest the modules provide a promising and necessary step for using behavior analysis to address disproportionate use of exclusionary discipline for minoritized SWD.

Measuring Preservice Teachers’ Anticipated Teacher–Student Relationship Quality

The current study aimed to develop a measure of anticipated teacher–student relationship quality to be used with preservice teacher populations that is operationally similar to a measure commonly used with inservice teachers (i.e., short-form of the Student–Teacher Relationship Scale). To date, teacher–student relationship quality has been a construct studied solely with inservice teacher populations. Two hundred and thirteen preservice teachers participated in the current study. Results suggest that the developed measure of anticipated teacher–student relationship with preservice teachers demonstrated response trends similar to the measure used with inservice teachers except that preservice teachers anticipate more conflict with future students than inservice teachers report with current students. Additionally, results show the developed measure fits the two factor structure of the original scale and exhibits concurrent validity via associations with teacher self-efficacy beliefs. Implications for measuring anticipated teacher–student relationship quality within teacher education programs and future directions for research are discussed.

Preservice Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Inclusion in Early Childhood Classrooms: A Review of the Literature

The purpose of this article is to describe what has been learned over the past 20 years of research on general early childhood preservice teachers’ attitudes toward inclusion. An extensive literature review was conducted to critically examine the purposes that guided the reviewed studies, the methods used to measure preservice teachers’ attitudes toward inclusion, and the major findings of these studies. A total of sixteen studies were identified. Results of this review revealed that general early childhood preservice teachers held positive attitudes toward inclusion. However, they had mixed feelings toward their preparedness for working with children with disabilities, especially those children with severe disabilities or challenging behaviors. Related to factors (e.g., course work, field experience) that influenced the teachers’ attitudes, there were mixed findings. The methods the researchers used varied, although most studies included surveys or interviews. Gaps in the literature and implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Measuring preservice teachers’ attitudes towards mistakes in learning environments

Reflecting on academic errors is a critical skill for engaging with feedback for learning. However, teachers lack training in knowing how to create environments that promote reflection and help students to acquire this skill (Metcalfe, Annual Review of Psychology, 68, 465-489). Part of the problem is that many teacher education programs in North America and Europe do not require preservice teachers to explicitly reflect on their own academic errors. In fact, specific tools for probing, measuring and discussing preservice teachers’ attitudes toward their academic errors are missing. In the absence of empirical evidence of preservice teachers’ attitudes about errors, the effects of these attitudes on later practice remains unknown. The objective of the present study was to develop an inventory to measure preservice teachers’ attitudes towards mistakes in learning environments. In two separate studies, the Attitudes Towards Mistakes Inventory–Learning Environments (ATMI-LE or ATMI for short) was developed and refined. The first exploratory factor analytic study involved 225 preservice teachers and was designed to develop the ATMI. The second confirmatory factor analytic study involved an independent sample of 207 preservice teachers and was designed to replicate findings from study 1 and refine the inventory. The second study incorporated other survey/scale measures to evaluate the criterion validity of the ATMI in relation to fear of failure, performance orientations, trust in instructor and persistence. Results indicated three distinct dimensions of the ATMI—beliefs, emotions and actions – underlying preservice teachers’ attitudes towards mistakes. Moreover, each dimension was internally consistent and shared expected correlations with related constructs.

Mediation Role of Experiential Avoidance in the Relationship Between Subjective Vitality and Depression

Depression is a mental disorder characterized primarily by depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure. A decrease in subjective vitality is seen as one of symptoms of depression. Depressive persons tend to seal themselves off, keeping away from stressful states and taking the minimum level of action when faced with a stressful situation. Experiential avoidance behavior which individuals do to protect themselves from sad thoughts and situations causes an increase in depressive symptoms. This study aimed to investigate mediation role of experiential avoidance in the relationship between subjective vitality and depression. Data was collected as an online questionnaire in university students' online classrooms. Instruments used in research were Subjective Vitality Scale (to measure preservice teachers' subjective vitality), Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (to measure their experiential avoidance), and depression subscale of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (to measure their depression levels). Research group was composed of 463 participants. Negative significant relationships were observed between depression and subjective vitality, and subjective vitality and experiential avoidance. In other words, depression and experiential avoidance were reduced as subjective vitality increased. Moreover, there was a significant positive relationship between depression and experiential avoidance. It is seen that subjective vitality affects depression (direct effect) is significant and it constitutes 64.5% of total effect. In addition, subjective vitality predicts depression (indirect effect) through experiential avoidance and it constitutes 35.5% of total effect. The interaction of experiential avoidance between subjective vitality and depressive symptoms was found. Subjective vitality and experiential avoidance predicted depressive symptoms.

Developing the intercultural competence of early childhood preservice teachers: preparing teachers for culturally diverse classrooms

ABSTRACT This research reports on studies conducted in two early childhood education (ECE) teacher preparation programs focused on increasing preservice teachers’ intercultural competence through intercultural teaching and learning and diverse US and international field experiences. Study 1 took place at a large U.S. Midwestern university with the first cohort (n = 43) of preservice teachers to have completed the revised internationally focused program. Study 2 took place at a midsized rural university in the U.S. Rocky Mountain region with preservice teachers (n = 9) who completed an eight-month university-led program with Nepal field experience. The researchers used the same instrument to measure preservice teachers’ intercultural sensitivity – the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) – before and after completion of the respective programs. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences was used for the analysis of the IDI scores of participants; paired samples t-test yielded individual and composite results. IDI pre and post results showed statistically significant increases in the composite scores for preservice teachers’ levels of intercultural competence for most participants. Attributes of movement away from trivializing other cultures and toward recognizing cultural similarities, appreciation of and curiosity about cultural differences, and the ability to interpret phenomena taking place in a cultural context became evident.

Topic Specificity and Antecedents for Preservice Biology Teachers’ Anticipated Enjoyment for Teaching About Socioscientific Issues: Investigating Universal Values and Psychological Distance

Enjoyment for teaching represents one of the most frequently reported teaching emotions and positively affects student outcomes. Therefore, researchers and teacher educators need to understand its nature and underlying appraisal processes to prepare motivated teachers as part of initial teacher education. Using cross-sectional questionnaire data from 189 German biology preservice teachers (73.5% female, meanage = 23.45 years, SDage = 3.71 years), we empirically tested the topic-specific structure and antecedents of participants’ anticipated enjoyment for teaching. We adapted the established Teacher Emotion Scale to measure preservice teachers’ trait-based enjoyment for teaching by reframing the items with the environmental socioscientific issues of the return of wild wolves and climate change and the health socioscientific issue of preimplantation genetic diagnosis. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the best fit of a topic-specific model. We also found different correlations for the anticipated enjoyment for teaching about the issues, but no significant differences in means. Concerning further topic-specific antecedents, the environmentally oriented basic value of universalism predicted the anticipated enjoyment for teaching about the return of wolves, and the socially oriented universal value of benevolence predicted the anticipated enjoyment for teaching about preimplantation genetic diagnosis. Both values inconsistently predicted the anticipated enjoyment for teaching about climate change. While this is in line with the complex nature of this socioscientific issue, psychological distance was a predictor for the anticipated enjoyment for teaching about every topic. While these effects remained stable when controlling for demographic variables, male participants showed a higher anticipated enjoyment for teaching about wolves and about climate change, and female preservice teachers for teaching about preimplantation genetic diagnosis. Further studies are needed to investigate if the results can be transferred to in-service teachers or to other teaching emotions. Furthermore, future studies could examine effects on other factors relevant to teaching emotions such as reactions to student behavior, which have been described as central for the causation of teaching emotions in prior studies (i.e., “reciprocal model of teaching emotions”). The present study stimulates such new studies and adds important knowledge to the understanding of topic specificity and topic-specific antecedents of anticipated enjoyment for teaching, which are relevant for teacher education and professional development.

Validating a 3E Rubric Assessing Pre-service Science Teachers’ Practical Knowledge of Inquiry Teaching

Inquiry teaching in science education has been widely advocated for decades. It is a critical learning objective in many science teacher preparation programs. Despite its importance, it is not effectively implemented in science classrooms. One of the reasons is the lack of reliable and valid instruments that provide practical definition, concrete guideline, and objective assessment for the practice of inquiry teaching. To fill this gap, we designed a 3E rubric based on the 5E learning model as one specific form of inquiry teaching to measure preservice teachers’ practice at different phases of a science lesson. In this study, we thoroughly introduced the 3E rubric and its use. Through drawing on 76 elementary pre-service science teachers’ teaching videos, we analyzed its reliability and validity with the tools of Intraclass Correlation Coefficient, Fleiss’ kappa, and Pearson correlation. According to the results, the 3E rubric is a reliable and valid tool to assess pre-service teachers’ practical knowledge of inquiry teaching. The contributions of this rubric to the teaching and research in science teacher preparation are discussed and future research directions are proposed.

Preservice Elementary Science Teacher Attitudes Matter: A New Instrument on Positive Affect Toward Science

ABSTRACTThis article is focused on the creation of a new scale for measuring preservice teachers’ positive affect for science, the Preservice Elementary Teacher Affect Scale for Science (PETAS–S). This new instrument is designed specifically to measure the level of positive affect toward the subject of science in preservice elementary teachers. Confirmatory factor analysis reveals the instrument loads on a single factor, positive affect. Reliability is robust, with Cronbach’s alpha of .96. Positive affect has been shown to predict future levels of engagement in domain-specific academic subjects and is expected to aid preservice teachers in understanding the complex relationship between their students’ interest and enjoyment of science with their own. This research contributes to the important role of emotion in preservice teachers’ attitudes toward the subject of science and how it might affect the way they teach their future students.

The Adaptation Study of the Loco-motion and Assessment Scales Measuring Self-Regulation Approaches of Prospective Teachers

Bu çalışmanın amacı, Kruglanski vd. (2000) tarafından geliştirilen ve bireylerin öz-düzenleme yaklaşımlarını ölçen ölçeğin öğretmen adayları üzerinde Türkçe’ye uyarlama çalışmasını yapmaktır. Öz-düzenleme Yaklaşımları ölçeği, Hareket ve Değerlendirme olmak üzere iki ölçekten oluşmaktadır. Kruglanski vd. (2000) tarafından geliştirilen her iki ölçeğin orijinal formu 5’li Likert tipinde 12 maddeden oluşmaktadır. Araştırma kapsamında yapılan uyarlama işlemleri Uluslararası Test Komisyonu’nundan (ITC) derlenen işlem basamakları doğrultusunda yapılmıştır. Araştırmanın çalışma grubu 4 alt grup ve 1221 öğretmen adayından oluşmaktadır. Ölçeklerin geçerlilik analizleri için Doğrulayıcı Faktör Analizi, güvenirlik analizleri için ise Cronbach Alpha katsayısı hesaplanmıştır. Ayrıca, ölçeğin tamamı ile maddeler arasındaki korelasyon değerleri incelenmiştir. Geçerlik analizleri kapsamında yapılan DFA sonuç modellerinin; Hareket Yaklaşımları ölçeğinin 9 madde, Değerlendirme Yaklaşımları ölçeğinin ise 8 maddeden oluştuğunu göstermektedir. Güvenirlik analizleri kapsamında elde edilen Cronbach Alpha değerleri tüm veriler dikkate alındığında Hareket Yaklaşımları Ölçeği için ,75; Değerlendirme Yaklaşımları Ölçeği için ,64 olarak belirlenmiştir.

Pedagogical Beliefs about Critical Thinking among Indonesian Mathematics Pre-service Teachers

This study aims to (1) measure pre-service teachers’ pedagogical belief in the value of teaching Critical Thinking (CT), their preparedness to teach CT, and their preference toward constructivist teaching approaches to develop students’ CT skills; and (2) explore the potential links between these pedagogical beliefs and aspects of teacher education experience. Participants were 223 mathematics pre-service teachers from 3 teacher education institutions in East Java, Indonesia. Beliefs about the value of teaching CT and perceived readiness to teach CT were measured using Likert-type scales, while preference towards constructivist instruction was assessed using vignettes depicting teaching dilemmas. Participants believed that some CT skills (thinking independently and logical communication) were important, but CT dispositions were not. About 60% believed they are prepared to teach CT and generally preferred constructivist over traditional instruction. Most aspects of the pre-service education were not associated with pedagogical beliefs about CT disposition, perceived preparedness, or preference for constructivist instruction, while some were only weakly associated with belief about teaching CT skills. These highlight the need for mathematics teacher educators to give more emphasis on the importance of CT, especially its dispositional dimensions, and the role of constructivist instruction in developing CT.

STEM Pedagogical Content Knowledge Scale (STEMPCK): A Validity and Reliability Study

The aim of this study was to develop the STEM Pedagogical Content Knowledge Scale (STEMPCK Scale). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to examine the structural validity of the scale. Exploratory factor analysis of the scale was conducted using data from 443 preservice teachers who were studying to become science teachers, preschool teachers, elementary school teachers, and mathematics teachers. The confirmatory factor analysis of the scale was conducted using data from 212 students who were enrolled in the same departments. The scale was administered to 655 preservice teachers in total. To determine the reliability of the scale, the Cronbach’s Alpha internal consistency coefficient, the corrected total item correlation, and the significance of the differences between the item averages of the top 27% and bottom 27% were examined by t-test. According to the results obtained, the STEMPCK Scale consists of six factors: 21st-Century Skills, Pedagogical Knowledge, Mathematics, Science, Engineering, and Technology. The scale included 56 items. The Cronbach’s Alpha values of the factors ranged from 0.878 to 0.90, and the corrected item total score correlations ranged from 0.306 to 0.895. The results of the t-test showed that all the differences between the mean scores of the top 27% and bottom 27% on the items were significant. The results of the analyses indicate that the instrument has reasonable internal consistency and that the theoretical structure was supported by empirical data. These results indicate that the STEMPCK Scale is an appropriate tool for measuring preservice teachers’ STEM pedagogical content knowledge. Implications and suggestions for further studies are included.

Investigating the Preservice Primary School, Mathematics and Science Teachers’ STEM Awareness

Today’s life requires individuals to be prepared for complex world environment, to make complex decisions, and to have critical thinking skills related to everyday life issues at hand. STEM education is thought to be the glorious solution to thrive in a global knowledge driven world. Teachers are key elements for successful STEM education. Present study aims to investigate the preservice primary school, mathematics and science teachers STEM awareness. Quantitative research methodology guided the present study. Cross-sectional survey type which collects information from a sample that has been selected from a predetermined population was used. Stem Awareness Scale, a five point Likert type instrument developed by Buyruk and Korkmaz (2016), was used to measure preservice teachers STEM awareness. Data was collected from 558 (371 female, 187 male) preservice teachers enrolled in three different teacher preparation programs. The results of this research demonstrates that there is no significant interaction effect for gender and department variables however there is significant difference among different department students STEM awareness preservice science teachers’ and preservice primary school teachers STEM awareness scores have similar mean values and also outnumbers the preservice mathematics teachers’ STEM awareness.

Measuring Preservice Teachers’ Knowledge of Instructional Tasks for Teaching Elementary Content

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to measure preservice teachers’ knowledge of instructional tasks for teaching three manipulative skills in elementary physical education. Method: Data were collected to measure preservice teachers’ entry and exit knowledge of instructional tasks that require selecting developmentally and sequentially appropriate content for elementary students. Preservice teachers from four PETE programs in the United States participated. Descriptive statistics were used to report the data. Findings: The results of this study showed that (a) preservice teachers’ entry and exit levels of task knowledge for teaching elementary content were insufficient and varied across programs and (b) the improvement in task knowledge from entry to exit of the elementary content courses was small. Conclusion: The results challenge the current methods for teaching elementary content in PETE programs. Several research-driven strategies are suggested for promoting preservice teachers’ knowledge of instructional tasks.Subscribe to TPE

PRESERVICE TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SCIENCE AND PEACE

Raising young people aware of the need for science for peace is only possible with modern education that is based on science and enriches science with elements of peace. Accordingly, determination of perceptions of preservice teachers, who will bear the greatest responsibility in raising individuals, about the relationship between science and peace is of great importance. The aim of this research was to develop a valid and reliable scale to measure preservice teachers' perceptions of the relationship between science and peace. A total of 253 preservice teachers, including 88 from the department of science teaching, 87 from the department of mathematics teaching and 78 from the department of primary school teaching, who were in their 4th year in the education faculty of Kocaeli University, Turkey, during the spring term of the academic year 2014-15, were recruited for this study. As a result of the factor analysis, Cronbach’s alpha (á) reliability coefficient of the scale, consisting of four factors, including 'Communication and Intercultural Dialogue' (6 items), "Technological Developments' (6 items), 'Socio-Economic Developments' (7 items) and' Peace Education' (7 items), and 26 items, was found to be .93. The Scale for Perception of the Relationship between Science and Peace (SPSP) is the first unique scale developed to determine preservice teachers’ perception of the relationship between science and peace. Key words: science and peace, perceptions of preservice teachers, scale development.

Developing a validated instrument to measure preservice teachers’ ICT competencies: Meeting the demands of the 21st century

AbstractThe main objective of this study is to develop a self‐report instrument to measure preservice teachers’ ICT competencies in education. The questionnaire items of this instrument are based on an existing comprehensive framework and were created with input from experts in the field. The data were collected from a sample of 931 final‐year preservice teachers in Flanders (Belgium). A first subsample was used for an exploratory factor analysis, and a second one to verify the identified factor structure via confirmatory factor analysis. A two‐factor structure of ICT competencies was identified: (1) competencies to support pupils for ICT use in class and (2) competencies to use ICT for instructional design. This two‐factor structure was confirmed in the confirmatory factor analysis. Recommendations are made on how this reliable instrument can help assess the level and progress of preservice teachers’ ICT competencies.

Preparing Preservice Teachers for Inclusive Classrooms: Does Completing Coursework on Managing Challenging Behaviours Increase Their Classroom Management Sense of Efficacy?

Preservice teacher education courses provide an opportunity for the development of knowledge, skills, and confidence in classroom and behaviour management. This study reports the change in classroom management sense of efficacy (CMSE) of a small cohort of Australian preservice primary teachers at 4 time points (precoursework, preprofessional experience, postprofessional experience, and postcoursework), during a semester-long course focused on managing challenging behaviours in the inclusive classroom. CMSE increased between the time points, significantly so, pre–post course. The sources of efficacy information available and the learning activities completed during each intervening time point are explored as possible explanations for the changes in CMSE reported. Issues in measuring preservice teachers’ efficacy related to coursework are discussed.