The development of a situational judgement test of personal attributes for quality teaching in rural and remote Australia

The development of a situational judgement test of personal attributes for quality teaching in rural and remote Australia Journal Article

The Australian Educational Researcher

• Author(s): Durksen, Tracy L, Klassen, Robert M
• Published: 2017
• Volume: 45
• Edition: 9 December

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Abstract: Education authorities in Australia are calling for valid tools to help assess prospective teachers’ non-academic attributes, with a particular need for identifying those attributes necessary for effective teaching in specific contexts. With the New South Wales (NSW) Department of Education, we aimed to develop a scenario-based tool to help assess the non-academic attributes necessary for beginning teachers working in rural and remote settings. Using a situational judgement test (SJT) methodology, we worked with experienced teachers (n = 19) to develop scenario-based items, which were then reviewed by school principals (n = 13). The teachers also adapted items previously developed and piloted in the UK. Next, prospective NSW teachers (n = 99) tried 32 new and adapted items targeting four clusters of attributes: empathy and communication, resilience and adaptability, organisation and planning, and culture and context. Item quality analyses revealed 22 acceptable items. We conclude by suggesting SJTs for promoting non-academic growth of prospective and beginning teachers.

• Urls: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13384-017-0248-5
• Keywords: Rural teaching, Personal characteristics, Non-academic attributes, Teacher recruitment, Teacher retention, Critical incidents