Asian Journal of University Education (Jun 2008)

The Construction of the Malaysian Educators Selection Inventory (MEdSI): A Large Scale Assessment Initiative

  • Joharry Othman ,
  • Lihanna Borhan ,
  • Nabilah Abdullah,
  • W. Marzuki W. Jaafar ,
  • Sidek M. Noah ,
  • Jamaludin Ahmad,
  • Tajularipin Sulaiman ,
  • Abdul Malek Abdul Karim ,
  • Sapon Ibrahim ,
  • Mohd Yusop Ab. Hadi ,
  • Abdul Malik Abdul Rahman ,
  • Syed Mohamed Shafeq Syed Mansor ,
  • Norlena Salamuddin ,
  • Mohd Taib Harun,
  • Zulkifli Mohamed,
  • Munirah Ghazali

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 4, no. 1
pp. 113 – 126

Abstract

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The crucial role that teachers and schools play in the development of a nation’s human resource is undeniable. In Malaysia, teaching has always been perceived as a financially secure and relatively easy job by many, resulting in mass application for entry into teacher education programmes. Many of those who aspire and opto to go into the teaching profession however do so regardless of their personal interests, potential, and values. Pursuing a program that does not fit a person’s personality and interest – despite initially having good academic credentials and excellent co-curricular involvement in school – may result in unsatisfactory academic performance, frustration, change of program and even withdrawal at college level. Hence, in the quest for selecting suitable teacher trainee candidates, a psychometrically sound instrument known as the Malaysian Educators Selection Inventory (MEdSI) was developed as a screening measure to filter the large number of teacher hopefuls. This paper specifically describes the theoretical basis and the constructs of the instrument developed.