Measurement equivalence of teachers sense of efficacy scale using latent growth methods

Abstract

This study is based on the application of latent growth modeling, which is one of structural equation models on real data. Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES), which was previously adapted into Turkish was administered to 200 preservice teachers at different time intervals for three times and study data was collected. Measurement equivalence of TSES was analyzed over this data using second-order latent growth models. For this aim, whether the scale achieved measurement equivalence at metric and scalar level was tested. The findings support that Teachers' Efficacy Scale has measurement equivalence in time. Time intervals between the applications of the scale were associated with school experience (internship programs) of preservice teachers. The applications were carried out before, during and after internship. It was found that preservice teachers' sense of efficacy increased in time and that as school experience increased belief towards professional sense of efficacy developed.