The validation of the Teachers’ Goal Orientations for Professional Learning Scale (TGOPLS) on information technology

ABSTRACT

The current study examined the psychometric properties of the Teachers’ Goal Orientations for Professional Learning Scale (TGOPLS) in the context of learning and using information technology. The participants were 866 kindergarten teachers from 58 kindergartens in China. Based on a randomly split sample, the authors used Group 1 (n = 433) for exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and Group 2 (n = 433) for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Both EFA and CFA results showed that the TGOPLS was composed of three subscales: mastery-approach, performance-approach and work-avoidance. In addition, latent factor means for the TGOPLS were invariant across age (less than 30 years vs. 30 years and more) and education level (high school vs. bachelor’s or beyond). Finally, the authors investigated the TGOPLS’ validity evidence, by examining and finding that the relations between the TGOPLS and three external measures (task interest, effort and adaptive help seeking) were consistent with theoretical expectations.

KEYWORDS:

• Goal orientation
• information technology
• professional learning
• teacher motivation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Meilu Sun

Meilu Sun is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at East China Normal University, China. Her research interests focus on the research on adult education and vocational education. She obtained her PhD in Adult Education in 2008, at East China Normal University. Afterwards, she worked as a senior lecturer at the university and became an associate professor in 2015.

Jianxia Du

Jianxia Du is a Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Macau, China. Prior to her current appointment, she was an Associate Professor at Mississippi State University, USA. Her research interests focus on gender, race and class in education and educational technology, and online collaborative learning.

Jianzhong Xu

Jianzhong Xu is a Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Macau, China. Prior to his current appointment, he was a Professor at Mississippi State University, USA. His research interests focus on teaching and learning in the school and home setting, in home–school relationships and in partnerships with culturally diverse families.