ASSESSING THE VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY OF THE INVENTORY OF SCIENCE TEACHER READINESS IN IMPLEMENTING CLASSROOM-BASED ASSESSMENT (ISTRI-CBA)

Abstract

Teacher readiness is the willingness of a teacher to implement a planned program successfully. Readiness is crucial in ensuring a program can be implemented at the individual or organizational level. The readiness of science teachers to implement Classroom-Based Assessment (CBA) determines the direction and success of primary school assessments in Malaysia. This pilot study aims to create and evaluate the Inventory of Science Teachers' Readiness in Implementing Classroom-based Assessment (ISTRI-CBA). There have been many studies on CBA. However, there are limitations in measuring the readiness of science teachers to implement CBA. The evaluation will be ineffective without a suitable tool to measure teacher readiness in CBA. Therefore, to determine the level of readiness of science teachers, the researcher needs an instrument that is valid, reliable, and appropriate to the context of the Ministry of Education, culture, and the current situation in Malaysia. It is necessary to have a conceptually and psychometrically substantial inventory. This challenge was addressed by developing the ISTRI-CBA, comprising five measurement dimensions: knowledge about CBA, skills of CBA, resource support, attitudes, and professional values. The development of ISTRI-CBA requires validity and reliability for its use. This study aims to (1) test the quality characteristics of the ISTRI-CBA items and (2) determine the reliability of the ISTRI-CBA obtained using the Rasch Model measurement. The research involves the administration of a survey questionnaire to 44 science teachers in a district in Malaysia. The findings show that the ISTRI-CBA, comprising 157 items, has good psychometric characteristics and meets the measurement criteria of the Rasch measurement model. The item quality and reliability also prove the suitability of the whole dimension. The study's findings provide evidence of the empirical implications that consistently support ISTRI-CBA as a valid and reliable instrument to measure teachers' readiness to implement CBA in science subjects. The findings also reveal that the ISTRI-CBA can measure science teachers' readiness to implement CBA.