Search

Short scales are time‐efficient for participants and cost‐effective in research. However, researchers often mistakenly expect short scales to have the same reliability as long ones without considering the effect of scale length. We argue that applying a universal benchmark for alpha is problematic as the impact of low‐quality items is greater on shorter scales. In this study, we proposed simple guidelines for item reduction using the "alpha‐if‐item‐deleted" procedure in scale construction. An item can be removed if alpha increases or decreases by less than.02, especially for short scales. Conversely, an item should be retained if alpha decreases by more than.04 upon its removal. For reliability benchmarks,.80 is relatively safe in most conditions, but higher benchmarks are recommended for longer scales and smaller sample sizes. Supplementary analyses, including item content, face validity, and content coverage, are critical to ensure scale quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teacher feedback in reading class is closely associated with students' reading achievement. However, the underlying mechanisms of their relationship has been underexplored, especially in cross-cultural contexts. Using Control Value Theory of Achievement Emotions (CVTAE), this study tested the cross-cultural generalizability of reading enjoyment as a mediator between teacher feedback and reading achievement among 536,848 15-year-olds from 75 countries/economies in PISA 2018. Multilevel structural equation modeling (MSEM) results showed that students who perceived more teacher feedback gained more enjoyment in reading activities, and thus scored higher in reading. This relationship was confirmed in 73 out of 75 countries/economies. However, at the school level, this association existed in only 25 of 75 countries/economies. These findings indicate cross-cultural generalization of reading enjoyment as a mediator between teacher feedback and reading achievement only at the student level, which not only provides cross-cultural evidence for CVTAE, but also sheds light on reading instruction of adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Socioeconomic status (SES) is important in students' reading development. The mechanism of how they are linked, however, is underexplored. Aims: This research aimed to explore whether reading self‐concept mediates the link between SES and reading achievement and whether teacher support moderates the direct and indirect link between SES and reading achievement. Samples: Using PISA 2018 database, we selected 17,346 15‐year‐olds from 537 schools in B‐S‐J‐Z (China) and the United States (U.S.). Methods: Multilevel linear models were calculated to explore the potential mediation of self‐concept and the potential moderation of teacher support between SES and reading achievement. Results: Results reveal that reading self‐concept mediated the link between SES and reading achievement at student level both in China and the United States, and teacher support moderated the link between SES and reading self‐concept both at student level and school level only in China, but not in the United States. Conclusion: Our research highlights the importance of self‐concept and teacher support in improving students' reading achievement, especially for students of low SES, which has important theoretical significance and practical enlightenment for reading instruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the performance of coefficient alpha and its potential competitors (ordinal alpha, omega total, Revelle's omega total [omega RT], omega hierarchical [omega h], greatest lower bound [GLB], and coefficient H) with continuous and discrete data having different types of non-normality. Results showed the estimation bias was acceptable for continuous data with varying degrees of non-normality when the scales were strong (high loadings). This bias, however, became quite large with moderate strength scales and increased with increasing non-normality. For Likert-type scales, other than omega h, most indices were acceptable with non-normal data having at least four points, and more points were better. For different exponential distributed data, omega RT and GLB were robust, whereas the bias of other indices for binomial-beta distribution was generally large. An examination of an authentic large-scale international survey suggested that its items were at worst moderately non-normal; hence, non-normality was not a big concern. We recommend (a) the demand for continuous and normally distributed data for alpha may not be necessary for less severely non-normal data; (b) for severely non-normal data, we should have at least four scale points, and more points are better; and (c) there is no single golden standard for all data types, other issues such as scale loading, model structure, or scale length are also important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compared coefficient alpha with five alternatives (omega total, omega RT, omega h, GLB, and coefficient H) in two simulation studies. Results showed for unidimensional scales, (a) all indices except omega h performed similarly well for most conditions; (b) alpha is still good; (c) GLB and coefficient H overestimated reliability with small samples and short scales, and (d) sensitivity to scale quality reduced with longer scales. For contaminated scales, (a) all indices except omega h were reasonably unbiased with non-severe contamination; (b) alpha, omega total, and GLB were more sensitive in picking up contamination with shorter scales, whereas omega RT and omega h were not; and (c) coefficient H could not pick up contaminated items among high-quality items. For applied researchers, (a) supplementary information of scale characteristics helps choose the appropriate index; (b) comparing different scales with one golden standard is inappropriate; (c) omega h should not be used alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the widening urban-rural gap caused by urbanisation, the equity of urban-rural education has become a research hotspot. This study explored the differences in motivational beliefs about English learning among Chinese urban and rural students and the impact of motivational beliefs on their English performance. A total of 6326 urban and 2600 rural Chinese eighth graders participated in the survey. Data were collected using self-reported motivational belief scale and English performance test. The independent sample t-test showed that motivational beliefs and English performance of urban students were significantly higher than that of rural students in China. Multilevel analysis demonstrated that at the student level, intrinsic value has the highest predictive power for English performance of urban and rural students, while extrinsic value can only predict English performance of rural students and self-efficacy can only predict English performance of urban students. However, at the school level, motivational beliefs cannot significantly predict English performance of urban and rural students. These results are of great significance to improve English education in rural areas and further promote education equity in China and other East Asian countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article introduces a mathematics education measure in response to the COVID-19 epidemic in China and explores students' degree of approval and perception of digital equity towards the response. After the outbreak of the COVID-19, the Chinese New Century Primary School Mathematics Textbook (NCPM) committee had developed a series of micro classes (abbreviated as NCPM micro classes), and more than 25 million teachers and students in China watched the NCPM micro classes during the 3 months social isolation. Then, students' degree of approval towards the NCPM micro classes and perception of digital equity were examined after social isolation. A total of 132,740 pieces of data were collected from Chinese primary school students. Quantitative analysis of student's degree of approval towards different parts of NCPM micro classes indicated that the introduction, interaction, summary and consolidation, curriculum characteristics, and goal achievement parts of the NCPM micro classes have received high approval from students, and students with higher former achievement perceived a higher degree of approval towards the NCPM micro classes. Furthermore, we found that gender, socioeconomic status, school location, and learning location had no significant impact on students' degree of approval, indicating a digital equity exists. This study helps researchers or educators understand the mathematics education response to the COVID-19 outbreak in China and extends our understanding of primary students' degree of approval and perception of digital equity with these online classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The correlation between motivational beliefs and foreign language learning has been widely explored. However, there has been little investigation of this link among learners with different foreign language levels. Based on expectancy-value theory (EVT), this research examined the association between motivational beliefs and English achievement of 11,854 Chinese secondary students. Data were collected using students' self-reported English self-efficacy, intrinsic value, utility value, and English achievement test. The results of ANOVA showed that self-efficacy, intrinsic value, and utility value of high-achieving English learners were significantly higher than that of medium-achieving ones, followed by low-achieving ones. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that after controlling for socioeconomic status and gender, intrinsic value was most correlated with high- and medium-achieving learners' English achievement, followed by self-efficacy, while utility value was not significantly associated with English achievement of the two groups. In addition, utility value was most strongly related with low-achieving learners' English achievement, followed by intrinsic value, but self-efficacy was not positively linked with their English achievement. These findings not only extend EVT and validate the situative perspective of motivation research, but also have practical implications for foreign language education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family context has been found to influence achievement emotions, but the factors that might moderate this association remain relatively unexplored. To address this gap, this research examined the moderation of teacher–student relationships (TSR) in the link between family socioeconomic status (SES) and emotions in foreign language (FL) learning drawing on control-value theory of achievement emotions and attachment theory. The research involved 4,155 eighth-grade students from China, who completed scales reporting their SES, FL enjoyment, FL anxiety, and FL burnout. The moderating effect model demonstrated that TSR played a moderating role in the relationship between SES and negative emotions in FL learning such as anxiety and burnout. However, no significant moderation was observed between SES and FL enjoyment. Specifically, a warm TSR was found to alleviate the negative impact of low SES on negative emotions in FL learning, such as anxiety and burnout. Conversely, TSR did not demonstrate the capacity to enhance the positive emotions associated with FL learning, such as enjoyment, among students from higher SES backgrounds. This research suggests the necessity to intervene with low SES students, with the aim of fostering supportive TSR and ultimately alleviating negative emotions in FL learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explored the mediation of self-efficacy and moderation of gender between socioeconomic status (SES) and foreign language (FL) achievement. A total of 8,906 Chinese secondary students (50.7 % males) completed socioeconomic status (SES) questionnaire, English self-efficacy scale, English achievement test, and demographic questionnaire. Multilevel regression model showed that SES was positively associated with English achievement both at student and school levels. The multilevel mediation model demonstrated that English self-efficacy partially mediated the link between SES and English achievement only at student level, and the mediation effect accounted for 30 % of the total effect. Moreover, the link between SES and English achievement was moderately influenced by gender. Specifically, boys’ English achievement was more significantly impacted by SES compared to that of girls. These findings underscore a gender disparity in the impact of SES on FL achievement, advocating for targeted interventions specifically aimed at students from low-SES backgrounds, particularly males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of socioeconomic status (SES) in foreign language learning has received increasing attention. However, previous research mainly examined the direct link between SES and foreign language learning, and few explored what might mitigate this link, especially in collectivistic culture. Based on social capital theory and the attachment theory, this study explored the moderating role of teacher–student relationships (TSRs) in the link between SES and English learning in China. Data were collected from 1,181 grade 8 and 300 grade 11 students in China using self-reported SES questionnaire, TSRs scale, and English achievement test. The results show that TSRs negatively moderated the association between SES and English performance of Chinese students both in grade 8 and grade 11, but the moderating effect of TSRs was slightly greater in grade 11. That is, supportive TSRs mitigated the effects of SES on foreign language learning, especially for senior secondary students. This finding sheds light on foreign language teaching and learning in China and other countries with similar sociocultural context theoretically and practically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a research on teacher feedback on student learning, possible mediating role of reading self-concept and the moderating role of disciplinary climate at both student level.

This study examined the motivation level of struggling English learners in China and explored the link between motivation and their English achievement. Furthermore, this research dug into the moderation effect of teacher–student relationships on this link based on attachment theory and self-dertemination theory. Struggling students (n = 14,531) were chosen according to the bottom 25th percentile cutoff on English achievement from a large-scale survey in China. The standardised English performance test and students’ self-reported motivation and teacher–student relationships were adopted to collect data. Descriptive statistics showed that struggling English learners had medium intrinsic and utility value and low self-efficacy. Correlation analysis revealed that intrinsic value and utility value were positively correlated with their English performance, while self-efficacy was not. The moderation analysis further demonstrated that supportive teacher–student relationships had a buffering effect on the low or medium motivation of struggling English learners. These findings suggest that harmonious teacher–student relationships are important for improving the English performance of struggling students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on expectancy-value theory, this research examined the link between student-perceived teacher-support and reading literacy via multiple mediation effect of reading self-concept and reading enjoyment with a Chinese sample of PISA 2018. Student-reported measures of teacher support, reading enjoyment and reading self-concept, and standardized tests of reading literacy were adopted. Multilevel mediation analysis showed that the direct effect of student-perceived teacher support on reading literacy is not significant at the school level, but significant at the student level, and the indirect effect of student-perceived teacher support on reading literacy through reading enjoyment, reading self-concept, first reading self-concept and then reading enjoyment is significant both at the student level and at the school level with SES and gender controlled. The present results indicate that perceived teacher support is beneficial to student learning by fostering academic self-concept and academic enjoyment. The current results have significant practical implications for teaching practices. • The link between perceived teacher support and reading literacy is mediated by reading enjoyment. • The link between perceived teacher support and reading literacy is mediated by reading self-concept. • The link between perceived teacher support and reading literacy is serially mediated by self-concept and then enjoyment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]