Validation of Mentoring for Effective Primary Science Teaching Instrument for a Turkish Sample


Yılmaz Tüzün Ö., Türker N.

The National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST), Maryland, United States Of America, 30 March - 02 April 2008, pp.265

  • Publication Type: Conference Paper / Summary Text
  • City: Maryland
  • Country: United States Of America
  • Page Numbers: pp.265
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to validate an instrument, Mentoring for Effective Primary Science Teaching (MEPST), for a Turkish sample. Preservice elementary teachers (n=411) participated in the validation of the MEPST from two universities in Turkey. MEPST measures preservice teachers’ perceptions about their mentors based on their mentoring practices. The instrument was developed by considering constructivist theory. MEPST included five dimensions, which are personal attributes, system requirements, pedagogical knowledge, modeling, and feedback. Originally MEPTS included 34 items. In this study, we obtained not good but acceptable model with 25 items. Five factors that describe effective mentoring practices in elementary science and mathematics teaching were supported by confirmatory factor analysis. Cronbach alpha coefficients of internal consistency reliability of each dimension were found as .61 for personal attributes, .77 for system requirements, .93 for pedagogical knowledge, .80 for modeling, and .84 for feedback. Final model fit indexes were found as 2 = 1736.30, df = 265, CMIDF = 6.55, IFI = .86, CFI = .86, RMR = .046, RMSEA = .12. Relationship between preservice elementary teachers’ perceptions of their mentoring practices and self-efficacy beliefs was also investigated.