Adaptation of the Teacher Efficacy Scale to Measure Effective Teachers’ Educational Practices Through Students’ Ratings: A Multilevel Approach

Abstract

Background: There is an increasing evidence of the role that teachers’ educational practices have for students’ school achievement and their wellbeing. However, there is a lack of valid measures in Spanish to address effective educational practices based on students’ perceptions. In response, this study aims to provide a valid, reliable scale for measuring educational practices in school settings: the Students’ ratings of Teachers’ Educational Practices Scale (STEPS). Methods: We analyzed the scale’s internal consistency and reliability, factor solution and invariance, and criterion validity, by using a multilevel approach in a sample of 2,242 students nested in 104 classrooms from 22 Spanish schools. Results: Indicated that the scale exhibited good reliability according to the omega coefficient (within =.86 and between level =.98). The multilevel confirmatory factor analysis (MCFA) revealed a hierarchical factor solution: classroom management, instructional strategies, and students’ engagement as first-order factors, and a general second-order factor labeled as effective educational practices. The scale demonstrated configural invariance by teaching level, sex, and region. Effective educational practices were associated with student self-esteem at the individual level. Conclusions: This study offers a reliable, valid instrument, STEPS, for measuring effective educational practices.

Antecedentes: existen evidencias del papel que las prácticas educativas de los docentes tienen en el rendimiento escolar y el bienestar de los estudiantes. Sin embargo, faltan medidas válidas en español que permitan estudiar las prácticas educativas efectivas a partir de las percepciones de los estudiantes. Por ello, este estudio tiene como objetivo proporcionar una escala válida y fiable para medir las prácticas educativas eficaces en entornos escolares (STEPS). Método: analizamos, en una muestra de 2.242 estudiantes anidados en 104 aulas de 22 escuelas españolas, la consistencia y fiabilidad interna de la escala, la solución e invariancia de factores y la validez de criterio mediante el uso de un enfoque multinivel. Resultados: los resultados indicaron que la escala exhibió una buena fiabilidad de acuerdo con el coeficiente omega (intra = .86, e inter = .98); el análisis factorial confirmatorio multinivel (MCFA) reveló una estructura jerárquica: gestión del aula, estrategias de instrucción y participación de los estudiantes, como factores de primer orden; y un factor general de segundo orden etiquetado como prácticas educativas efectivas. Además, las prácticas educativas efectivas se asociaron con mejor autoestima de los estudiantes. Conclusiones: este estudio ofrece un instrumento fiable y válido, STEPS, para medir prácticas educativas efectivas.