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Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 19, Issue 2, Article 17 (Dec., 2018) |
Introduction and Theoretical Framework
There is a consensus that beliefs are part of a group of affective state constructs describing the structure and content of a person's thinking and providing an understanding of his/her actions and practice (Bryan & Atwater, 2002; Klassen, tze & Betts, 2011). Along with various measures of teacher knowledge and skills, one component of teacher preparation and professional development program evaluation is assessing teacher self-efficacy and K-12 science teacher ability (Enochs & Riggs, 1990; Enochs, Smith & Huinker, 2000).
Understanding teachers' beliefs, specifically science teachers' self-efficacy beliefs, is essential to improving their professional quality and science teaching practices (Enochs, Scharmann, & Riggs, 1995; Pajares, 1992; Enochs & Riggs, 1990). Bandura (1986) found that the primary source of information for self-efficacy beliefs is through mastery of experiences. Research revealed that prospective elementary science school teachers' self-efficacy beliefs affected by their prior experiences with science teaching in prospective teacher preparation programs at their universities.
Ramey-Gassert, Shroyer and Staver (1996) also found that prospective teacher preparation programs play an important role in helping prospective teachers construct a strong science teaching self-efficacy, feel confident to prepare and teach science, and to use effective instructional methods to foster effective students' science learning in their science classrooms. Examining prospective teachers' science teaching self-efficacy beliefs is significant in developing the quality of their science teaching, improving their science background, and evaluating and improving science teaching preparation programs.
Research on prospective science teachers' teaching self-efficacy beliefs has been examined using the Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument for Prospective teachers (STEBI-B), developed by Enochs and Riggs (1990). The STEBI-B measures two components of prospective teachers' science teaching self-efficacy beliefs; which are personal science teaching self-efficacy beliefs, and science teaching outcome expectancy. The major concern in assessing the quality of instruments in science education research is reliability and validity of such instruments. Most science education instruments lack theoretical measurement framework. Moreover, ordinal-level attitudinal data routinely analyzed as if these data has equal intervals, thereby violating requirements of parametric tests (Boone, Townsend & Staver, 2011).
Applying Item Response Theory (IRT) models, such as Rasch models, provide significant advantages for the development and evaluation of Likert-type items and instruments (Liu, 2006). Rasch analysis converts ordinal data into a ratio scaled data and produces item parameters and person parameters that are of a ratio level of measurement (Bond & Fox, 2001; Boone & Scantlebury, 2006; Neumann & Nehm, 2011). Rasch-based analyses are also able to test whether item/scale comparability exists for a given sample by testing whether all items are answered in the same fashion or not. This allows empirical testing of Likert-type scale assumptions. It also allows for comparisons of students and items on quantitatively equivalent intervals.
Moreover, many simple Rasch diagnostic tools are available to allow one to evaluate the functioning of a scale with regard to reliability and validity. These tools go far beyond the simple calculation of an alpha coefficient. Researchers in a range of disciplines throughout the world now appreciate the necessity of this step before parametric tests carried out (Bond & Fox, 2007; Wright & Masters, 1982; Wright & Stone, 1979). The Rasch model is used to evaluate large data sets such as that of TIMSS (Trends of International Mathematics and Science Study), and many small data sets in many fields (Schulman& Wolfe, 2000). When using sets of items on a survey to determine a respondent's overall attitude, it must be transformed to a linear scale, which the Rasch model allows one to carry out. If a linear measurement scale is not used, this may compromises the validity of all subsequent statistical tests.
Prospective elementary school teachers' science teaching self-efficacy beliefs depends on successful mastery of experiences in teacher preparation programs at the university level and influences their behaviors in teaching science when they become school teachers. Ultimately, prospective teachers' science teaching efficacy beliefs hypothesized to affect school students' effective learning of science. There is a growing literature investigating prospective teachers' science teaching efficacy beliefs, assessed using the science teaching efficacy beliefs instrument for prospective teachers (STEBI-B) developed by Enochs and Riggs (1990). However, there is little research about this issue in Jordan. This study comes as an attempt to develop, validate an Arabic version of Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (STEBI-B) for prospective elementary school teachers, using Rasch test analysis techniques.
- Is the STEBI-B valid in measuring prospective elementary school teachers' science teaching efficacy beliefs in Jordan?
- Is the STEBI-B reliable in measuring prospective elementary school teachers' science teaching self-efficacy beliefs in Jordan?
