Preparing TVET Teachers for Sustainable Development in the Information Age: Development and Application of the TVET Teachers’ Teaching Competency Scale

Abstract

Echoing research interests in recent concepts and models of TVET teachers’ teaching competency, it is clear that the focus of existing scales needs to be updated. The paper summarizes six aspects of TVET teachers’ competency in the information age and develops the corresponding scale using 88 items. The data from 461 TVET teachers confirm the reliability and validity of the scale, which serves as a measuring instrument the teaching competency of TVET teachers in the information age. The paper collects answers from 815 TVET teachers, who are clustered into six types by k-means clustering, each representing shared characteristics of a group of TVET teachers. The paper develops a feasible method to classify TVET teachers according to the characteristics of their teaching ability in six aspects, which can provide valuable clues for the designing of tailored teacher training programs and teacher development strategies for vocational education teachers in the information age.