Designing and validating an assessment agency questionnaire for EFL teachers: an ecological perspective

Abstract

Teacher agency is a pivotal element of professionalism and second/foreign language (L2) education. However, its role in L2 assessment has remained under-researched. Part of this negligence is due to the absence of a validated questionnaire to measure the construct and its underlying components. To address this gap, drawing on the ecological perspective, the present study developed a scale on teacher ecological assessment agency (TEAA) by gleaning data from 539 Iranian EFL teachers. The results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (EFA, CFA) culminated in 5 components and 32 items in the scale. The components were labelled “Iterational”, “Projective”, “Teachers’ Practical-Evaluative View”, “Schools’ Practical-Evaluative Effect”, and “Professional/Democratic Community’s Practical-Evaluative Effect”. Furthermore, the convergent validity and reliability of the scale were statistically approved (p >.05). The study presents some implications for EFL teachers, teacher trainers, and assessment policy-makers in that they can understand and highlight the pivotal role of teacher agency in L2 assessment practices.