Does teacher quality mean the same thing across teacher candidates, cooperating teachers, and university supervisors?. Issue 6 (2nd November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tsai, Chia-Lin; Ku, Heng-Yu
• Is Part Of: Educational studies. Volume 47:Issue 6(2021)
• Page Start: 716
• Page End: 733
• Publication Date: 2021-11-02
• Subjects: Student teaching -- teacher quality -- measurement invariance -- exploratory structural equation modelling; Education -- Periodicals; Éducation -- Périodiques; 370.5
• DOI: 10.1080/03055698.2020.1729098
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0305-5698

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This study examined the factor structure and evidence of measurement invariance of a programme completer survey for pre-service teachers in the teacher preparation programme. The 33-item survey assessing aspects of teacher quality was completed by 455 teacher candidates, 455 cooperating teachers, and 66 university supervisors. Exploratory structural equation modelling was conducted with 1365 surrey responses (455 survey responses from each of three groups). Our results suggested that two factors ( Teaching Practices and Professional Ethics ) were measured using the survey. The underlying factor structure of the programme completer survey was invariant across the teacher candidates, cooperating teachers, and university supervisors. Significant latent mean differences were observed on the Professional Ethics and suggested that the university supervisors provided lower ratings than the other two groups. Interpretations and implications of the findings are discussed.