Construction and validation of the questionnaire of technology learning competencies of student-teachers

Abstract

Background and Objectives:Given the impact that new technologies have had on individual and social activities, it is the task of education to respond to the growing needs of the society. To emphasize this task, UNESCO, in 2008, in collaboration with major companies such as Microsoft, Intel, Cisco, the International Association of Education Technology, the Polytechnic Institute and the University of Virginia, designed a document for teacher information and communication technology knowledge. Due to the importance of the issue and the welcome of member countries, this document was further revised. In the introduction to this document, students and teachers must be able to use technology effectively to live, learn and function successfully in highly complex, knowledge-based and information-rich environments. Education should strive to design students with specific characteristics that meet the needs of today's societies by designing an appropriate environment. Some of these characteristics are: capable of using information technology, searcher, analyst and information evaluator, decision maker and problem solver, capable of effective and creative use of productivity tools, informed, responsible and participatory citizens. By increasing the daily and effective use of technology in the educational process, student-teachers gain the opportunity to learn through technology. The growth and development of various information and communication technologies has made it possible to build a variety of software, hardware and Internet networks that can help the educational system of any country in a variety of formal, informal and free learning. Accordingly, given the important role that the teacher has in organizing learning experiences, it is necessary for them to be trained in a way that finds the necessary attitude, knowledge and skills. Accordingly, in-service and pre-service professional programs for teachers should include objective experiences of information and communication technology in the professional dimension. The present paper aims to construct, validate and estimate the reliability of the questionnaire of technology competencies of student-teachers at Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University (SRTTU) in Tehran. Methods: To do so a questionnaire was developed after a systematic review of literature on theories of technology competencies. Through a random cluster sampling a sample of 60 student teachers of SRTTU was selected and the questionnaire was administered among them. The instrument included 49 items. Item analysis such as item discrimination and loop, construct validation (factor analysis) and reliability analysis (Cronbach Alpha) were utilized. Findings: In factor analysis, three factors were identified as: technology knowledge, knowledge consolidation and knowledge production. The reliability of the questionnaire turned out to be .98. The results indicate that the instrument is both reliable and valid and can be readily used to assess student-teachers’ technology competencies. Conclusion: The results indicate that the instrument is both reliable and valid and can be readily used to assess student-teachers’ technology competencies.

Keywords

• learning
• tchnology competencies
• reliability
• validity