2000;37:275-292. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1098-2736(200003)37:3<275::AID-TEA4>3.0.CO;2-2.

Assessing teachers' beliefs about their science teaching context.

Journal of Research in Science Teaching

Andrew T Lumpe, Jodi J Haney, Charlene M Czerniak

UIID-EM: 52 Bookshelf ID: 2000-03063-003 DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1098-2736(200003)37:3<275::AID-TEA4>3.0.CO;2-2

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to develop and apply a method for assessing teachers' context beliefs about their science teaching environment. Interviews with 130 purposefully selected teachers resulted in 28 categories of environmental factors and/or people who were perceived to influence science teaching. These categories were used to develop items for the Context Beliefs about Teaching Science instrument and provided evidence for content validity. Construct validity was partially confirmed through factor analysis that resulted in 26 items and 2 subscales on the final instrument. Additional evidence for construct validity was found in the modest correlation of context beliefs with outcome expectancy beliefs and the low correlation with science teaching self-efficacy beliefs. The instrument was tested using 262 teachers participating in long-term science professional development programs. It was concluded that the assessment of context beliefs would complement current science teacher self-efficacy measures, thereby allowing researchers to develop profiles of science teachers' personal agency belief patterns. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

Keywords: development & validity of Context Beliefs about Teaching Science instrument; context beliefs about science teaching environment; teachers; Attitude Measurement; Classroom Environment

Publication Types

• Journal Article