Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

5-1991

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Education

Major Professor

Donald J. Dessart

Committee Members

Arnold Davis, Phyllis Huff,Tom Mathews

Abstract

This study was undertaken to develop and field test an instrument designed to measure attitudes of middle school mathematics teachers toward low achievers in mathematics. Three 15-item subscales designed to measure teacher beliefs, feelings, and intended behaviors toward low achievers in mathematics are contained in this 45-item Likert-type scale titled: Teacher Attitudes Toward Low Achievers in Mathematics Scale (TALAM). The study was carried out in three phases. In Phase 1, comments about low achiever;s in mathematics were elicited from middle school mathematics teachers, experts in the field of mathematics and mathematics education, and from related literature. Statements were further validated by a panel of experts. In Phase 2, the validated items were administered to 51 middle school mathematics teachers. The data generated were analyzed to estimate validity and reliability. Items were retained for the final scale if they had significant (p < .01) item-total correlations and the ability to discriminate between high and low criterion groups (p < .05). The three scales were found to be internally consistent (Cronbach's alpha range: .80 - .91). Principal component factor analysis of data resulted in three empirically distinguishable factors consistent with placement of statements within the three subscales and indicative of construct validity. In Phase 3, the final scale was administered to 105 middle school mathematics teachers. The three scales were again found to be internally consistent (Cronbach's alpha range: .70 -.91) and stable (r coefficient range: .70 - .82) over a two-week interval. Concurrent and differential validity were also determined. The attitudinal components measured by the TALAM scales differed from those measured by the Revised Math Attitude Scale suggesting that teachers' attitudes toward mathematics in general are distinct from attitudes toward low achievers in mathematics. Further, the relationship between the TALAM scale and a previously developed semantic differential scale purporting to measure teacher attitudes toward low achievers in general was determined. Data analysis produced significant Pearson product-moment correlations (p < .01) between TALAM scales and the semantic differential scale (r coefficient range: .38 - .50). Overall analysis of data yielded substantial support for the TALAM as a valid and reliable measure of attitudes of middle school mathematics teachers toward low achievers in mathematics. This contention, along with review of earlier research, provides support for further study of the relationship between teacher attitudes toward low achievers in mathematics and a variety of other variables.

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