The Development and Factor Structure of the Educational Beliefs Questionnaire

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop and investigate the construct validity of the self-reporting Educational Beliefs Questionnaire (EBQ). Using the theoretical descriptions of five distinct educational philosophies provided in educational foundations literature, a 25-item Likert-type draft scale was developed and responses were collected from a volunteer sample of 610 K-12 teachers. A factor analysis employing maximum-likelihood extraction procedures with varimax rotation was used in examining the factor structure of the scale. This analysis resulted in a three-factor solution yielding a final 20-item version of the EBQ. This version contained three subscales which assessed the educational orientations of perennialism, romanticism, and progressivism.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Kerlinger, F. and Kaya, E. (1959). The construction and factor analytic validation of scales to measure attitudes toward education. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 19, 13-29.

Ornstein, A. and Hunkins, F. (1988). Curriculum: Foundations, principles, and issues. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall.

Sirotnik, K. (1979). Instrument development and psychometrtic analysis of major scales utilized in a Study of Schooling. (A Study of Schooling Technical Report No. 4) Los Angeles: Laboratory in School and Community Education, University of California.

Stone, J. and Schneider, F. (1965). Foundations of education. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell

Walker, W. (1963). Philosophy of education. New York: Philosophical Library.

Wright, D. (1980). Teachers' educational beliefs: A study of schooling in the United States. (A Study of Schooling Technical Report No. 14) Los Angeles: Graduate School of Education, University of California.