Development and Validation of Chemistry Self-Efficacy Scale for College Students

This study described the process of developing and validating the College Chemistry Self-Efficacy Scale (CCSS) that can be used to assess college students’ beliefs in their ability to perform essential tasks in chemistry. In the first phase, data collected from 363 college students provided evidence for the validity and reliability of the new scale. Three dimensions emerged: self-efficacy for cognitive skills, self-efficacy for psychomotor skills, and self-efficacy for everyday applications. In the second phase, data collected from an independent sample of 353 college students confirmed the factorial structure of the 21-item CCSS. The Cronbach alpha coefficients ranged from 0.82 to 0.92. In addition, each dimension of the CCSS had moderate and significant correlations with student chemistry achievement and differentiated between major and non-major students. Followed by the additional validation studies, the CCSS will serve as a valuable tool for both instructors and researchers in science education to assess college students’ chemistry self-efficacy beliefs.     

Scale of Academic Emotion in Science Education: Development and Validation

Contemporary research into science education has generally been conducted from the perspective of ‘conceptual change’ in learning. This study sought to extend previous work by recognizing that human rationality can be influenced by the emotions generated by the learning environment and specific actions related to learning. Methods used in educational psychology were adopted to investigate the emotional experience of science students as affected by gender, teaching methods, feedback, and learning tasks. A multidisciplinary research approach combining brain activation measurement with multivariate psychological data theory was employed in the development of a questionnaire intended to reveal the academic emotions of university students in three situations: attending science class, learning scientific subjects, and problem solving. The reliability and validity of the scale was evaluated using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Results revealed differences between the genders in positive-activating and positive-deactivating academic emotions in all three situations; however, these differences manifested primarily during preparation for Science tests. In addition, the emotions experienced by male students were more intense than those of female students. Finally, the negative-deactivating emotions associated with participation in Science tests were more intense than those experienced by simply studying science. This study provides a valuable tool with which to evaluate the emotional response of students to a range of educational situations.     

The Communication Anxiety Regulation Scale: Development and Initial Validation

A series of studies present the development and validation of the Communication Anxiety Regulation Scale (CARS), a self-report measure designed to assess the use of emotion regulation strategies to manage acute communication anxiety—in contrast to measures of general emotion regulation tendencies. Study 1 delineates the item derivation and selection process that yielded the final 12 CARS items. Results of an exploratory factor analysis supported the existence of four distinct subscales, each representing one of four anxiety regulation strategies (suppression, reappraisal, avoidance, and venting). Study 2 confirmed this factor structure and also examined correlations of the CARS with existing measures in an attempt to establish concurrent validity. Finally, Study 3 presents results of an item-sort task demonstrating the scale’s face validity and items’ substantive validity. Overall, findings provide preliminary support for the utility of the CARS as measure of communication anxiety regulation to be used by communication and psychology researchers.     

Motivation to Become a Teacher: a Norwegian Validation of the Factors Influencing Teaching Choice Scale

The act of newly qualified teachers leaving the profession is a growing challenge, both in Norway and internationally. To address recruitment difficulties, there is a need for further knowledge of prospective teachers’ career motivations. The current study validated a Norwegian translation of the Factors Influencing Teaching Choice (FIT-Choice) Scale. Using a sample of 635 preservice teachers, confirmatory factor analyses were conducted. The results indicated that the translated scale offers a valid measure of Norwegian students’ motivation to become teachers. Self-perception of teaching-related abilities was one of the main motivational sources, together with the desire to shape the future of children and adolescents and an interest in teaching. Findings are discussed in relation to previous studies based on the FIT-Choice Scale in other countries.     

New evidence on the validity of the Arnett Caregiver Interaction Scale: Results from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort

The Arnett Caregiver Interaction Scale (CIS) has been widely used in research studies to measure the quality of caregiver–child interactions. The scale was modeled on a well-established theory of parenting, but there are few psychometric studies of its validity. We applied factor analyses and item response theory methods to assess the psychometric properties of the Arnett CIS in a national sample of toddlers in home-based care and preschoolers in center-based care from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort. We found that a bifactor structure (one common factor and a second set of specific factors) best fits the data. In the Arnett CIS, the bifactor model distinguishes a common substantive dimension from two methodological dimensions (for positively and negatively oriented items). Despite the good fit of this model, the items are skewed (most teachers/caregivers display positive interactions with children) and, as a result, the Arnett CIS is not well suited to distinguish between caregivers who are “highly” versus “moderately” positive in their interactions with children, according to the items on the scale. Regression-adjusted associations between the Arnett CIS and child outcomes are small, especially for preschoolers in centers. We encourage future scale development work on measures of child care quality by early childhood scholars.     

Penn State Worry Questionnaire: structure and psychometric properties of the Chinese version

The Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) is a measure of worry phenomena and has been demonstrated valid in cross-cultural populations. The present study examined the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Chinese version of PSWQ (Ch-PSWQ) in a Chinese college sample (n=1243). Exploratory factor analysis of the Ch-PSWQ revealed a two-factor solution (engagement of worry and absence of worry). Confirmatory factor analysis and model comparison supported that the model of one factor with method effect provided the best fit to the data. The Ch-PSWQ and its factors evidenced good internal consistency and both convergent and discriminate validity. The present study supports the opinion that the second factor of PSWQ not only contains the component of evaluating pathological worry, but also might represent other traits.     

Validation of the Intrapersonal Technology Integration Scale: Assessing the Influence of Intrapersonal Factors that Influence Technology Integration

Teachers' beliefs about their self-efficacy for integrating technology, their outcome expectations for integrating technology, and their interest in using technology to support student learning influence their intentions for incorporating technology into their instructional practices. To date, instruments developed to examine the relationships among these factors have focused primarily on measuring self-efficacy. The Intrapersonal Technology Integration scale was developed to expand our understanding of intrapersonal cognitive variables that affect teachers' predispositions toward integrating technology into their teaching.     

动结构式研究综述与展望

通过文献调查法和定性分析法梳理国内外学者对动结构式的研究成果发现,他们主要从句法、事件结构、配价和构式视角对动结构式进行研究。这些研究成果虽存在局限性但又具有一定的合理性。解决某些理论的局限性,取决于看问题的角度和研究分析法。致力于认知心理呈现的构式语法是研究动结构式一个新的发展趋势。     

Measuring basic needs satisfaction: Evaluating previous research and conducting new psychometric evaluations of the Basic Needs Satisfaction in General Scale

Self-Determination Theory specifies the existence of three basic psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The current set of studies (a) provides a narrative review of past research on the Basic Needs Satisfaction in General Scale, (b) examines its dimensionality which has been assumed but not empirically studied, and (c) gathers external validity evidence. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the existence of a one- and a three-factor solution; neither model fit the data. After patterns of misfit were examined across three independent samples, a reduced, 16-item three-factor model with a negative-worded method effect was championed. External validity evidence, collected by examining the differential relationships between the three needs and measures of well-being and worry, supported the distinctiveness of the three needs. Although the results are promising, future research is needed to examine the generalizability of the psychometric properties of the modified scale.     

教育认知诊断测验的信度和效度研究评述

信度和效度是衡量一个测量工具质量的关键指标,教育认知诊断测验中的信度和效度研究近年来受到研究者的关注。诊断测验的信度系数基本上源自基于α系数的属性信度系数、经验属性信度系数、四分相关系数、模拟重测一致性和分类一致性指标;效度系数主要包括模拟判准率、分类准确性和理论构想效度等。教育认知诊断测验的信度和效度研究较新,仍存在着一定的不足且缺乏全面的比较研究,更缺少系统的评价体系。     

Teachers' perception of the new teacher evaluation policy: A validity study of the Policy Characteristics Scale

Teachers' perception of the educational policy is vital to understand the success or failure of the policy's implementation. In this article, we describe the development and use of the Policy Characteristics Scale to measure teachers' perception of a new teacher evaluation policy. An exploratory factor analysis (n = 347) and a confirmative factor analysis (n = 263) revealed a three-factor structure of teachers' perception of the new educational policy: policy's practicality, need, and clarifying function. Our research results indicated that teachers confirm the policy's need. They perceive the reform as clear but they have questions about the policy's implementation. Implications for policy makers and school leaders are discussed.     

大学生情景宽恕量表的修订及信效度检验

以中国大学生为被试,采用实证研究方式,对Rye等人开发的情景宽恕量表(FS)进行修订。通过对1007名被试的数据进行探索性因素分析、验证性因素分析以及相关分析后发现,情景宽恕量表有三个维度:消极反应的消除、怀有积极反应和自我关注的消除。修订后的量表具有较好的内部一致性信度,同时也显示了较好的结构效度和实证效度。     

Chinese Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (trial) (CECERS): A validity study

The Chinese Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (trial) (CECERS) is a new instrument for measuring early childhood program quality in the Chinese socio-cultural contexts, based on substantial adaptation from the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised Edition (ECERS-R). This paper describes the development and validation process of CECERS. Empirical data were collected from a stratified random sample 178 classrooms, from which a random sample of 1012 children was measured for child development outcomes. Guided by the framework of broad conceptualization of validity and validation as advocated by Messick (1989), evidence in a variety of forms is presented and discussed, including content validity considerations (e.g., measuring socially and culturally relevant domains), measurement reliability considerations (e.g., internal consistency reliability, inter-rater reliability), and measurement validity considerations (concurrent validity, criterion-related validity, internal structure based on exploratory factor analysis). The empirical findings for CECERS compare very favorably with the validation outcomes of ECERS-R. The body of evidence accumulated in the validation process supports the use and interpretation of CECERS scores as quality indicators of early childhood education program in the Chinese social and cultural contexts. Limitations and future directions are also discussed.     

Development of the Beliefs about Primary Education Scale: Distinguishing a developmental and transmissive dimension

In this article the development and validation of the Beliefs about Primary Education Scale (BPES) are described. The BPES is an 18-item scale for assessing primary school teachers’ beliefs toward the nature of good education, subdivided in a transmissive dimension (TD) and a developmental dimension (DD). Both dimensions assess beliefs toward the general orientation and objectives of education, the nature of the educational content, and desirable ways of knowledge acquisition. An explorative study (n=352$n=352$) revealed a two-factor structure. Both dimensions were uncorrelated, which leads to the suggestion that teachers hold layered belief systems. In a following study (n=381), construct validity of the BPES was confirmed. The BPES’ DD and TD were shown to correlate significantly with constructivist and traditional teaching beliefs.     

小学数学应用题认知诊断测验编制及效度验证

本研究旨在基于事先构建的理论模型,编制小学数学应用题认知诊断测验,并通过认知诊断评估对其效度进行验证。采用质性研究和量化研究两条思路,通过认知分析、大声思维和测验等方法,探索了认知诊断评估从理论模型构建到测验编制及其效度验证的过程。在理论模型构建和测验编制方面,所得结果表明认知分析和大声思维相结合能够合理地构建实质心理学的认知模型,并且基于该认知模型自上而下的测验设计是与认知诊断评估流程相吻合的。通过认知诊断评估所获取的数据分析表明,该测验的结构效度、内部效度和外部效度均达到理想水平,基于事先构建的认知模型所编制的认知诊断测验能够作为认知诊断评估的有效工具,有助于发掘和诊断学生数学应用题解决中的认知错误。     

认知方式研究的趋势与展望

通过对近些年来关于认知方式研究的分析,提出了当前认知方式研究的三大趋势：第一,研究者试图在元认知水平上确定认知方式,如从灵活性一固定性维度对不同类型认知方式所做的研究;第二,研究者试图把现存的认知方式模型整合为由有限的几个中心维度构成的统一理论,尝试构建完整的新理论;第三,在信息加工的理论背景下,研究者构建认知方式的多层模型框架,试图将认知方式与其他心理结构和心理过程联系起来。最后对认知方式的未来研究进行了展望。     

浅析荷恩等级理论的局限性

作为新格莱斯会话含义理论的重要推理契机和出发点,荷恩等级的建立有一定的科学性和规律性。然而困脱离语境,忽视认知结构和诸多社会变量的影响,荷恩等级理论在语言使用中有其局限性。本文拟对列文森所提出来的荷恩等级关系作一些理论上的探讨,指出荷恩等级理论的一些不足之处。     

Cognitive efficiency: A conceptual and methodological comparison

Cognitive efficiency (CE) is generally defined as qualitative increases in knowledge gained in relation to the time and effort invested in knowledge acquisition. Across disciplines, limited consensus exists concerning the conceptual and measurement properties of CE partly because some researchers indiscriminately use the construct of CE to describe neurological, instructional, performance, and learning efficiency. In this study, two models of measuring CE, the likelihood model (Hoffman & Schraw, 2010), and the deviation model ( [van Gog and Paas, 2008] and [Paas and van Merri?nboer, 1993]) were used to compare problem-solving outcomes and determine if different conceptual models of CE measure the same or different efficiency constructs. The two models yielded uncorrelated scores using the same data. Further, regression analysis revealed that unique variance associated with effort, self-efficacy judgments, and background knowledge differed according to the measurement model used, suggesting that either each measurement approach assessed a different facet of CE, or the efficiency constructs measured were altogether different. Practical applications of CE research for teaching and learning are discussed.     

中学生生活技能量表的编制和信效度检验

编制中学生生活技能量表,并检测其信度和效度。方法:用量表评估初高中四个班学生211人,分析量表的信效度。结果:①新编量表有较好的信效度。②我国中学生生活技能水平总体较低。结论:①该量表有较满意的心理测量指标。②需要在我国中学生中开展系统的学校生活技能教育。