Development of a Self-assessment Scale for Nursery Teachers to Conduct Practical Nursery Training

Abstract

In this study, we developed a self-assessment scale for nursery teachers who provide nursery training to improve the training quality. In Study I, we first selected 60 candidate factors on the basis of a free-response questionnaire administered to 298 nursery school teachers concerning anxieties and difficulties during nursery training. In Study II, we conducted a factor analysis to create a self-assessment scale for teachers of nursery training comprised of 34 items and 5 factors “respectful relationships with trainees,” “understanding nursery training principles and ideals,” “instruction utilizing nursery competency,” “ensuring time for lesson plans and training records,” and “teacher’s attitude toward nurseries.” This scale was then assessed for reliability and validity. Finally in Study III, we evaluated the association between the mastery level of teachers of nursery training and the five factors. Development process of this scale revealed challenges for nursery training and implications for their resolution. It was suggested that using this scale will contribute to the career development of nursery teachers.