Graduation Year

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Ed.D.

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

Degree Granting Department

Educational Measurement and Research

Major Professor

Robert Dedrick, Ph.D.

Co-Major Professor

Liliana Rodríguez-Campos, Ph.D.

Committee Member

John Ferron, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Dana L. Zeidler, Ph.D.

Keywords

Fairness, High School, Reliability, Science Curriculum, Science Teachers, Validity

Abstract

Little is known about how high school science teachers perceive Socioscientific Issues (SSI) on a broad scale, including what factors shape their views of a pedagogical shift to adopt SSI. To address this critical gap, I constructed the Teachers’ Socioscientific Issues (SSI) Perceptions Survey (TSPS), the first instrument specifically designed and initially validated to measure teacher perceptions of SSI integration. This study presents the development and validation of the TSPS, offering robust evidence for its reliability, fairness, and construct validity.

Survey development adhered to gold-standard psychometric protocols (Bandalos, 2018; Crocker & Algina, 1986; DeVellis, 2012; McCoach et al., 2013) and the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (AERA et al., 2014). Literature synthesis, teacher consultations, and expert panel review informed initial item generation. A multidisciplinary team of experts evaluated a 37-item draft, a working definition of SSI, and contextual vignettes. Iterative revisions, guided by expert feedback and cognitive interviews with pilot testers, enhanced clarity, reduced respondent burden, and refined the instrument’s scope.

Following streamlining, the TSPS was distributed to over 2,000 high school science teachers. A total of 218 responses were received from a diverse sample of educators in biology, chemistry, earth science, ecology, marine science, physics, and other related fields. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) on 174 useable responses supported a five-factor, 20-item structure. Internal consistency for each of the factors was confirmed via Cronbach’s alpha, McDonald’s omega, and ordinal alpha. MIMIC analysis, which followed the EFA, was used to examine which external covariates may relate to the latent traits, potentially providing support for predictive validity. Fairness evidence was established through cognitive interviews, confirming that the items were accessible, unbiased, and suitable for the target population.

The TSPS represents a pioneering tool that may capture science teachers’ nuanced perspectives on SSI, possibly enabling researchers, curriculum designers, and policymakers to gain a better understanding and support SSI integration in secondary science classrooms. Lastly, the TSPS could be used to measure the effectiveness of SSI professional development and curriculum integration.

Download

Share

COinS