Dimensionality of teacher judgments on a competency-based report card in elementary school. (June 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Machts, Nils; Zitzmann, Steffen; Möller, Jens
• Is Part Of: Learning and instruction. Volume 67(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-06
• Subjects: Report card validity -- Teacher judgment -- Judgment dimensionality -- Competency-based assessment; Learning -- Periodicals; Teaching -- Periodicals; Apprentissage -- Périodiques; Enseignement -- Périodiques; Learning; Teaching; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 370.1
• DOI: 10.1016/j.learninstruc.2020.101328
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0959-4752

Abstract

Abstract: Developments concerning report cards have led to a potential shift from reporting traditional grades to reporting multiple competencies within and across subjects. In this study, we analyzed the dimensional structure of the teacher judgments on a competency-based report card on fourth-grade elementary school students ( N = 469). With a methodologically innovative approach of combining exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), we found one learning-oriented and one social-oriented generic subject-unspecific factor of competency judgments and single factors for each included subject. All subject factors showed relatively high correlations with the respective traditional grades. Second-order commonalities further indicated a general factor represented almost perfectly by the learning-oriented generic judgments. Our analyses generally justified the use of competency-based report cards in terms of the dimensional structure and the association with traditional grades. Further, generic subject-unspecific competency judgments contribute to disentangling the multidimensionality of teacher judgments. Highlights: ESEM and CFA are combined for the analysis of a competency-based report card. Generic judgments differentiate learning-oriented and social-oriented competencies. Competency judgments are highly associated with respective traditional grades. Learning-oriented competencies are highly representative of a general factor. Social-oriented competencies are correlated moderately with subject judgments.