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- Title
The Development of Teacher's Relational Competence Scale: Structural Validity and Reliability.
- Authors
Vidmar, Maša; Kerman, Katja
- Abstract
The newly developed Teacher's Relational Competence Scale (TRCS) was tested for the first time within this study. The TRCS instrument addresses the need for the cultivation and promotion of socio-emotional competences of teachers, through the context of relational competence, as proposed by Juul and Jensen (2010). According to them, relational competence is defined as a teacher's ability to see a student as a unique being and to consequently adapt their own actions (behaviour) without abandoning the leadership role and their authenticity, as well as taking full responsibility for teacher-student relationship. Based on this definition and the conceptual work, three dimensions of relational competence were identified - respect for individuality, authenticity and responsibility for the relationship. We have constructed 33 items along these dimensions resulting in TRCS. Teachers who participated in the TIMSS 2015 were invited to complete the on-line instrument. About 49% of teachers responded, resulting in a sample size of 562 teachers. The total sample size was then randomly split into two halves. The first half was used for exploratory factor analysis (EFA); after running several EFA models and dropping items with low or non-target loadings, the 2-factor solution with 11 items proved to be most fitting and parsimonious (RMSEA = .06; CFI = .95; χ2 (34) = 66.68, p <. 001 and SRMR = .04). The model was then tested on the second sample half, using exploratory structural equation modelling (ESEM). The model fit the data well (RMSEA = .04; CFI = .98; χ2 (34) = 50.259, p < .05 and SRMR = .03). Based on item content, the first factor was named Individuality (4 items, α = .70) and the second factor was named Responsibility (7 items, α = .76). Thus, in our study we did not find support for the presupposed three-factor structure of TRCS, because the third factor (presumed to be authenticity) did not emerge. Nevertheless, our study shows that teachers' relational competence (two of its dimensions - individuality and responsibility) can be reliably measured, using the newly developed TRCS. Items, designed to measure authenticity, proved to be problematic (loading onto non-respective factors, weak loadings, etc.). In further research, authenticity items should be revised, re-examined, and new items should be developed and examined in the context of a cohesive relational competence scale.
- Subjects
TEACHER-student relationships; SOCIOEMOTIONAL selectivity theory; PSYCHOLOGY of teachers; EMOTIONS; TEACHING &; society
- Publication
Šolsko Polje, 2016, Vol 27, Issue 1/2, p41
- ISSN
1581-6036
- Publication type
Article