[论文解读] Development and Initial Validation of a Scale to Measure Instructors' Attitudes toward Concept-Based Teaching of Introductory Statistics in the Health and Behavioral Sciences

Rossi A. Hassad, Anthony P. M. Coxon|arXiv (Cornell University)|Jul 19, 2010

Statistics Education and Methodologies参考文献 19被引用 3

一句话总结

本研究开发并验证了FATS量表——一种包含25个题项、五个维度的工具，用于测量健康与行为科学领域入门统计学课程中教师对基于概念教学的态度。该量表Cronbach's alpha系数为0.89，结构效度强，能可靠地区分低改革与高改革教学实践，尤其受教师年龄影响，为评估教学改革中关键态度提供了经过验证的工具。

ABSTRACT

Despite more than a decade of reform efforts, students continue to experience difficulty understanding and applying statistical concepts. The predominant focus of reform has been on content, pedagogy, technology and assessment, with little attention to instructor characteristics. However, there is strong theoretical and empirical evidence that instructors' attitudes impact the quality of teaching and learning. The objective of this study was to develop and initially validate a scale to measure instructors' attitudes toward reform-oriented (or concept-based) teaching of introductory statistics in the health and behavioral sciences, at the tertiary level. This scale will be referred to as FATS (Faculty Attitudes Toward Statistics). Data were obtained from 227 instructors (USA and international), and analyzed using factor analysis, multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis. The overall scale consists of five sub-scales with a total of 25 items, and an overall alpha of 0.89. Construct validity was established. Specifically, the overall scale, and subscales (except perceived difficulty) plausibly differentiated between low-reform and high-reform practice instructors. Statistically significant differences in attitude were observed with respect to age, but not gender, employment status, membership status in professional organizations, ethnicity, highest academic qualification, and degree concentration. This scale can be considered a reliable and valid measure of instructors' attitudes toward reform-oriented (concept-based or constructivist) teaching of introductory statistics in the health and behavioral sciences at the tertiary level. These five dimensions influence instructors' attitudes. Additional studies are required to confirm these structural and psychometric properties.

研究动机与目标

• 为解决数十年来尽管教育改革持续进行，学生在理解统计概念方面仍存在困难的长期挑战。
• 识别并测量教师态度这一关键但研究不足的因素，该因素影响入门统计学教学的质量。
• 开发一种心理测量学上可靠的量表，以捕捉高等教育健康与行为科学统计课程中改革导向、基于概念教学的态度。
• 利用来自美国及国际227名教师的实证数据对量表进行验证。
• 为研究人员和教育工作者提供一种可靠工具，以评估并促进建构主义教学方法在统计教育中的采纳。

提出的方法

• 从美国及国际机构的227名健康与行为科学教师中收集数据。
• 采用探索性与验证性因子分析，识别态度量表的潜在结构。
• 应用多维尺度分析与层次聚类分析，考察教师态度的模式与分组情况。
• 计算Cronbach's alpha以评估内部一致性，总体alpha值为0.89。
• 通过比较低改革与高改革教学实践教师的量表得分，评估结构效度。
• 在人口统计与专业变量（如年龄、性别、就业状态）之间进行统计比较，以评估组间差异。

实验结果

研究问题

• RQ1 如何在健康与行为科学领域可靠地测量教师对入门统计学中基于概念教学的态度？
• RQ2 教师对改革导向统计教学的态度背后存在哪些潜在维度？
• RQ3 FATS量表在区分低改革与高改革教学实践方面，其结构效度在多大程度上得到体现？
• RQ4 哪些教师特征（如年龄、性别、学术背景）与对基于概念教学的态度显著相关？
• RQ5 FATS量表在不同学术与机构背景下的稳定性与可靠性如何？

主要发现

• FATS量表在25个题项与五个子量表上表现出强大的内部一致性，Cronbach's alpha系数为0.89。
• 结构效度得到证实，整体量表及大多数子量表能显著区分低改革与高改革教学实践的教师。
• 教师年龄与态度存在显著统计关联，而性别、就业状态、专业组织成员身份、种族、学术资格及学位专业则无显著关联。
• FATS量表的五个子量表代表了影响教师对基于概念教学态度的独立维度。
• 该量表被视为测量高等教育健康与行为科学教育中改革导向统计教学态度的可靠且有效工具。
• 未来研究需在更广泛、更多样化的样本中进一步验证该量表的结构与心理测量特性。