ERIC Number: EJ1361180
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0141-6200
EISSN: EISSN-1740-7931
Available Date: N/A
Measuring Student Teachers' Beliefs Regarding Religion in Schools: Piloting and Preliminary Validation of Two Newly Developed Scales
British Journal of Religious Education, v44 n3 p281-292 2022
Previous findings on religious beliefs of teachers suggest a relation between individual religiosity and professional thinking and acting of teachers. Evidence beyond faith schools and teachers with Religious Education (RE) as a subject is scarce, suitable measuring instruments are also lacking. Therefore, this paper reports the development and validation of two scales assessing teachers' 'Beliefs regarding the appropriate role of religion in the school context' and 'Beliefs regarding the appropriate role of individual teachers' religiosity'. Data from N = 348 German teacher education students were analysed. We examined reliability and validity of both scales by employing correlation analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, analysis of convergent and discriminant validity, measurement invariance analysis and structural equation modelling. For external validation, we examined the extent to which both scales are explained by the Centrality of Religiosity Scale (CRS) and RE as a subject studied. Our analyses support the reliability and convergent and discriminant validity of both scales. Moreover, both scales are substantially explained by the CRS while none of them is explained by RE as subject. Thus, the piloted scales may be applied in future studies investigating the role of religiosity regarding the professional thinking and acting of teachers.
Descriptors: Student Teachers, Beliefs, Student Attitudes, Religion, Test Construction, Test Validity, Religious Factors, Role of Religion, Foreign Countries, Test Reliability, Gender Differences, Factor Analysis
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Germany
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Data File: URL: https://osf.io/beuvt
Author Affiliations: N/A