[论文解读] Development and Validation of a Scale for Measuring Instructors' Attitudes toward Concept-Based or Reform-Oriented Teaching of Introductory Statistics in the Health and Behavioral Sciences

Rossi A. Hassad|arXiv (Cornell University)|Jul 19, 2010

Statistics Education and Methodologies参考文献 279被引用 13

一句话总结

本研究开发并验证了FATS量表——一项包含25个题项、五个子量表的工具，内部一致性Cronbach's alpha为0.89，用于测量健康与行为科学领域入门统计学教学中，三级教育阶段教师对概念导向或改革取向教学的态度。该量表展现出良好的结构效度，能够有效区分低改革实践与高改革实践教师的态度，并揭示年龄是影响态度差异的显著因素。

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

• 为解决尽管经过十余年教育改革，学生在理解统计概念方面仍存在困难的长期挑战。
• 探讨教师态度作为影响教学质量和学习成果的关键但研究不足的因素的作用。
• 开发一种心理测量学上可靠的工具，用于测量入门统计学教学中对概念导向或改革取向教学的态度。
• 在不同教师人口统计特征和教学实践背景下，验证该工具的信度与结构效度。
• 识别影响教师对统计教育中改革取向教学法接受度的个人及职业特征。

提出的方法

• 通过结构化调查问卷，从美国及国际范围内的227名教师中收集数据。
• 采用探索性与验证性因子分析，识别教师对改革取向教学态度的潜在维度。
• 应用多维尺度分析与层次聚类分析，考察态度分组模式并验证量表结构。
• 计算Cronbach’s alpha以评估内部一致性，全量表整体Cronbach's alpha为0.89。
• 通过比较低改革实践与高改革实践教师的FATS得分，评估结构效度。
• 进行双变量分析，评估教师态度与人口统计变量（如年龄、性别、就业状态等）之间的关联。

实验结果

研究问题

• RQ1 在健康与行为科学领域的入门统计学教学中，教师对概念导向或改革取向教学的态度的潜在维度是什么？
• RQ2 所开发的量表（FATS）在测量不同教师群体中此类态度时，其信度与效度如何？
• RQ3 教师的态度在多大程度上因教学实践类型（低改革 vs. 高改革）而有所不同？
• RQ4 哪些人口统计或职业特征（如年龄、性别、最高学术学位等）能显著预测教师对改革取向教学态度的差异？
• RQ5 FATS量表中的感知难度等子量表与其他子量表如何与实际教学实践及教师行为相关？

主要发现

• FATS量表包含五个独立的子量表，共25个题项，展现出良好的内部一致性，整体Cronbach’s alpha为0.89。
• 结构效度得到支持，全量表及五个子量表中的四个能显著区分低改革实践与高改革实践教师。
• 年龄是唯一与教师对改革取向教学态度具有统计学显著关联的人口统计变量。
• 在性别、就业状态、专业组织成员身份、种族、最高学术学位或学术专业方向方面，未发现态度的显著差异。
• 感知难度子量表在区分低改革与高改革实践教师方面无显著差异，提示其区分效度可能存在局限。
• 该量表被认为是在三级教育层次的健康与行为科学教育中，测量对改革取向统计教学态度的可靠且有效的工具。