Design and validation of the scale of support for autonomy in higher education: Relationship with the student's labor competency

Abstract

Currently, it is necessary to implement new models for the development of teaching competencies as well as the achievement of a transfer to the future professional field of the student. The objectives of this study were two, in the first place, to create and validate the Autonomy Support Scale (EAA) for Higher Education. Secondly, it was proposed to verify the relation between the support to the autonomy of the teacher and the labor competence of the student. A sample of 233 Spanish university students from three Spanish universities with a mean age of 23 years (DT = 3.1) were used to measure the perception of support for autonomy by the teacher and the labor competence. The results of confirmatory factor analysis, analysis of internal consistency and temporal stability were adequate. In addition, there was a positive and significant correlation between support for autonomy and labor competency. As a conclusion, this study has allowed us to provide a valid and reliable 12-item scale with a single factor that integrates the theoretical contributions pointed out by Reeve (2009, 2016) and can be used to measure the interpersonal style perceived by teachers in Higher Education. In addition, the results encourage the use and testing of active methodologies by the teacher in favor of their implications for the labor future of students.