Adaptation of the Teacher Efficacy Scale to Measure Effective Teachers' Educational Practices Through Students' Ratings: A Multilevel Approach

Background: There is an increasing evidence of the role that teachers' educational practices have for students' school achievement and their wellbeing. However, there is a lack of valid measures in Spanish to address effective educational practices based on students' perceptions. In response, this study aims to provide a valid, reliable scale for measuring educational practices in school settings: the Students' ratings of Teachers' Educational Practices Scale (STEPS). Methods: We analyzed the scale's internal consistency and reliability, factor solution and invariance, and criterion validity, by using a multilevel approach in a sample of 2,242 students nested in 104 classrooms from 22 Spanish schools. Results: Indicated that the scale exhibited good reliability according to the omega coefficient (within =.86 and between level =.98). The multilevel confirmatory factor analysis (MCFA) revealed a hierarchical factor solution: classroom management, instructional strategies, and students' engagement as firstorder factors, and a general second-order factor labeled as effective educational practices. The scale demonstrated configural invariance by teaching level, sex, and region. Effective educational practices were associated with student self-esteem at the individual level. Conclusions: This study offers a reliable, valid instrument, STEPS, for measuring effective educational practices.

Automated summary

The study aimed to develop a valid and reliable scale, STEPS, for measuring educational practices in school settings. Results showed that the scale had good reliability and a hierarchical factor solution. Effective educational practices were associated with student self-esteem at the individual level.