An Extended Validation and Analysis of the Early Childhood Educators' Knowledge of Self-Regulation Skills Questionnaire: A Two Phase Study

Authors

Elizabeth Willis, Florida International UniversityFollow

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Major/Program

Early Childhood Education

First Advisor's Name

Laura Dinehart

First Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Chair

Second Advisor's Name

Len Bliss

Second Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Member

Third Advisor's Name

Maureen Kenny

Third Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Member

Fourth Advisor's Name

Angela Salmon

Fourth Advisor's Committee Title

Committee member

Keywords

teacher education, classroom management, social-emotional learning

Date of Defense

5-19-2015

Abstract

The Early Childhood Educators’ Knowledge of Self-Regulation Skills Questionnaire (ECESRQ) was devised to measure current teacher knowledge and implementation of pedagogical tools that enhance self-regulatory skills in the early childhood classroom. The purpose of the first phase of this study was to conduct test validation on the ECESRQ. The purpose of the second phase of this study was to (a) assess if teacher knowledge of self-regulation skills predicted teachers’ attitudes and beliefs in the classroom, and if (b) the results from the ECESRQ predicted knowledge of instruction of self-regulation skills.

To address the first phase of the study an exploratory factor analysis was conducted on the Likert Style items in the ECESRQ. Three factors were extracted and named as teacher attitudes and beliefs (factor 1), children’s behavior (factor 2), and child behavior (factor 3). Cronbach’s Alpha was reported as high for factor 1 (.718), moderate for factor 2 (.552) and factor 3 (.529), suggesting that the survey demonstrated high to moderate estimates of internal consistency.

To address the two questions in the second phase of the study, linear regression and multiple regression analysis were conducted. It was found that teacher attitudes and beliefs (represented by the three factors found in phase one) did not significantly predict teacher knowledge where factor 1 was the dependent variable (R²=.003, F(1, 172)=.503, pR²=.010, F(1, 172)= 1.732, pR²=.007, F(1, 172)=1.221, p

However, in the second equation, predicting knowledge of instruction, both variables (age and factor 2) were significant in predicting knowledge of instruction accounting for 7% of the variance in the model.

Overall, the results suggest a discrepancy between teachers’ attitudes and beliefs and reported classroom management implementation. This indicates that teachers believe children are capable of internal control, yet implement external over internal control in the classroom. Possibilities for this phenomenon are discussed and implications for future research are presented in the discussion of this study.

Identifier

FIDC000071

Recommended Citation

Willis, Elizabeth, "An Extended Validation and Analysis of the Early Childhood Educators' Knowledge of Self-Regulation Skills Questionnaire: A Two Phase Study" (2015). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2228.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/2228