TY - JOUR

T1 - Assessing teachers' educational knowledge

T2 - Construct specification and validation using mixed methods

AU - Linninger, Christina

AU - Kunina-Habenicht, Olga

AU - Emmenlauer, Simone

AU - Dicke, Theresa

AU - Schulze-Stocker, Franziska

AU - Leutner, Detlev

AU - Seidel, Tina

AU - Terhart, Ewald

AU - Kunter, Mareike

PY - 2015

Y1 - 2015

N2 - This paper presents two studies adding validity evidence to the assessment of educational knowledge (EK) measured by a recently developed test. The first study compared the test scores of a large sample of graduates from academic teacher education with those of a sample of first-semester teacher students. Results indicate higher scores for graduates in the majority of the test's six domains. Additionally, we gained validity evidence based on response processes by conducting 46 cognitive interviews in Study 2. Participants with different professional backgrounds stated their response strategies while taking the knowledge test. Among other results, analyses revealed that graduates and advanced students in teacher education were often familiar with item topics and solved items mostly by retrieving academic knowledge from memory. Overall, results add to previously gained evidence suggesting that test scores can be taken to measure EK mainly gained by university studies.

AB - This paper presents two studies adding validity evidence to the assessment of educational knowledge (EK) measured by a recently developed test. The first study compared the test scores of a large sample of graduates from academic teacher education with those of a sample of first-semester teacher students. Results indicate higher scores for graduates in the majority of the test's six domains. Additionally, we gained validity evidence based on response processes by conducting 46 cognitive interviews in Study 2. Participants with different professional backgrounds stated their response strategies while taking the knowledge test. Among other results, analyses revealed that graduates and advanced students in teacher education were often familiar with item topics and solved items mostly by retrieving academic knowledge from memory. Overall, results add to previously gained evidence suggesting that test scores can be taken to measure EK mainly gained by university studies.

KW - Cognitive interviews

KW - Educational knowledge

KW - Teacher education

KW - Validation

KW - Psychology

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84928226385&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1026/0049-8637/a000126

DO - 10.1026/0049-8637/a000126

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:84928226385

VL - 47

SP - 72

EP - 83

JO - Zeitschrift fur Entwicklungspsychologie und Padagogische Psychologie

JF - Zeitschrift fur Entwicklungspsychologie und Padagogische Psychologie

SN - 0049-8637

IS - 2

ER -