TY - JOUR
T1 - Teacher Motivations for Postgraduate Study
T2 - Development of a Psychometric Scale for Christian Higher Education
AU - Harvey, Pamela
AU - Sinclair, Catherine
AU - Dowson, Martin
PY - 2005
Y1 - 2005
N2 - This study investigated motivations’ teachers to undertake professional development, in particular where postgraduate study is involved. Specifically, the study involved the development, design and implementation of a psychometric instrument to measure Christian teachers’ professional development motivations. Influential factors identified in the Continuing Professional Education literature, and the Motivation Psychology literature (specifically from Expectancy-Value and Goal theories), were operationalized in the psychometric survey. The resulting instrument, the EMAPS Scale (Educators’ Motivations and Attitudes towards Postgraduate Study) included 18 factors. Results of the study indicate that the subscales (factors) of the EMAPS Scale are substantially reliable (most alpha reliabilities being in excess of.80). Also, Confirmatory Factor Analysis indicate support for the factorial validity of most of the items and factors in the EMAPS Scale (with goodness-of-fit indices meeting criterion values in most cases). However, one section of the EMAPS Scale did not demonstrate substantial validity. For this reason further research with additional samples is warranted.
AB - This study investigated motivations’ teachers to undertake professional development, in particular where postgraduate study is involved. Specifically, the study involved the development, design and implementation of a psychometric instrument to measure Christian teachers’ professional development motivations. Influential factors identified in the Continuing Professional Education literature, and the Motivation Psychology literature (specifically from Expectancy-Value and Goal theories), were operationalized in the psychometric survey. The resulting instrument, the EMAPS Scale (Educators’ Motivations and Attitudes towards Postgraduate Study) included 18 factors. Results of the study indicate that the subscales (factors) of the EMAPS Scale are substantially reliable (most alpha reliabilities being in excess of.80). Also, Confirmatory Factor Analysis indicate support for the factorial validity of most of the items and factors in the EMAPS Scale (with goodness-of-fit indices meeting criterion values in most cases). However, one section of the EMAPS Scale did not demonstrate substantial validity. For this reason further research with additional samples is warranted.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85011463502&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/15363750500182588
DO - 10.1080/15363750500182588
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85011463502
SN - 1536-3759
VL - 4
SP - 241
EP - 264
JO - Christian Higher Education
JF - Christian Higher Education
IS - 4
ER -