Constructing and Validating a Teacher Immediacy Scale: A Chinese Perspective

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to construct and validate a scale of perceived teacher immediacy from a Chinese cultural perspective. Based on the immediacy-exchange theories that emphasize the core role culture plays in the assessment of immediacy, this study argues that the validity and reliability of existing teacher verbal and nonverbal immediacy scales developed from U.S. classrooms are not warranted in Chinese classrooms. Open-ended questionnaires and focus-group interviews suggest three dimensions of teacher immediacy from a Chinese perspective: instructional, relational, and personal. The Chinese Teacher Immediacy Scale is validated via confirmatory factor analysis and correlation with measures of teacher clarity and classroom communication apprehension.

Keywords:

• Construction
• Validation
• Teacher immediacy scale
• Chinese perspective
• Cross-cultural

Notes

This article was derived from the first author's dissertation, directed by the second author. An earlier version of this paper received the Top Paper Award from the Instructional Development Division at the 2005 National Communication Association Convention in Boston. We thank Drs. Brad Hall, Jack Condon, and Judith Good for their constructive feedback

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Qin Zhang

Qin Zhang (PhD, University of New Mexico, 2005) is an assistant professor in the Department of Communication at Fairfield University

John G. Oetzel

John G. Oetzel (PhD, University of Iowa, 1995) is department chair and associate professor in the Department of Communication and Journalism at the University of New Mexico