Scale Creation

Two different types of indices can be distinguished:

• Simple indices - they were constructed through the arithmetical transformation or recoding of one or more items, such as ratios, averages, or binary indicators (e.g., student-teacher ratio, average class size)
• Complex scale indices
  • The underlying variables were intended to measure the indices that were unobserved.
  • Indices were operationally defined by observable items and constructed using complex procedures that involved scaling the items.
  • Typically, scale scores for these indices are estimates of latent traits derived through scaling of dichotomous or polytomous (e.g., Likert scale) items using latent trait methodology.
  • Complex scale-item statistics such as item frequencies and item-total correlations were used to initially evaluate the quality of the scale items across all countries.
  • A reliability coefficient alpha (Cronbach’s alpha) was used as the measure of scale reliability.
  • Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to evaluate complex scales.
  • Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA) was used to validate the constructed scales with regard to its measurement invariance level (e.g., configural, metric, and scalar).
  • CFA was used to construct the scale scores.

Only scale indices are listed below.

List of background scales

• School disciplinary climate
  • School delinquency and violence
  • Mutual respect
• Distributed leadership
• Instructional leadership
• Principal job satisfaction
  • Satisfaction with current work environment
  • Satisfaction with profession
• Teacher self-efficacy
  • Efficacy in classroom management
  • Efficacy in instruction
  • Efficacy in student engagement
• Teacher job satisfaction
  • Satisfaction with current work environment
  • Satisfaction with profession
• Participation among stakeholders
• Teacher-student relations
• Classroom disciplinary climate
• Constructivist beliefs
• Teacher co-operation
  • Exchange and coordination for teaching
  • Professional collaboration
• Professional development
  • Effective professional development
  • Needs for professional development in subject matter and pedagogy
  • Need for professional development for teaching for diversity
• Self-efficacy in teaching mathematics
• School autonomy
  • School autonomy for staffing
  • School autonomy for budgeting
  • School autonomy for instructional policies
• School resources
  • Lack of pedagogical personnel
  • Lack of material