Measuring ocean literacy in pre-service teachers: psychometric properties of the Greek version of the Survey of Ocean Literacy and Experience (SOLE)

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to respond to the increasing demand for comprehensive tools for the measurement of ocean literacy, by investigating the psychometric characteristics of a Greek version of the Survey of Ocean Literacy and Experience (SOLE), an instrument that assesses conceptual understanding of general ocean sciences content, focusing on the knowledge component. Four hundred twenty-one pre-service primary school teachers participated in a cross-sectional study. The dichotomous Rasch model was used to examine the measurement properties of the SOLE, namely, person-item targeting and separation, reliability, dimensionality and differential item functioning (DIF). Steps were taken to improve the instrument, where any of these attributes were outside acceptable ranges. Results suggested that a modified SOLE showed an adequate fit to the Rasch model, is unidimensional, free of DIF, and is particularly well-suited to the population under study. Our findings suggest that the SOLE constitutes a valuable tool which can be applied to a different cultural context and population. The proposed use of the instrument could contribute to the assessment of the quality of marine education in school-based and non-formal education contexts and to the cross-cultural comparison of ocean literacy, which are prerequisites for the improvement of ocean literacy.

Keywords:

• ocean literacy
• SOLE
• Rasch analysis

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Angelos Markos is an assistant professor of Data Analysis at the Department of Primary Education, Democritus University of Thrace. His research interests lie at the intersection of statistical models for categorical data analysis and psychological testing.

Theodora Boubonari received her PhD in Environmental Education from the Department of Primary Education, Democritus University of Thrace. After her graduation from the university, she has been teaching in Elementary school, while the focus of her current research is primarily in ocean literacy of pre- and in-service elementary school teachers.

Athanasios Mogias is a lecturer in Environmental Education at the Department of Primary Education, Democritus University of Thrace. His research interests are in the field of marine biology and ecology, education for sustainable development and ocean literacy. The focus of his work lies primarily on pre- and in-service teachers.

Theodoros Kevrekidis is a full professor in Marine Biology at the Department of Primary Education, Democritus University of Thrace, and the head of the Laboratory of Environmental Research & Education.