Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.15516/cje.v24i1.4230
Developing an Assessment Scale for the Characteristics of Cooperative Learning in Language Teaching
Marina Semiz
orcid.org/0000-0003-3917-0114
; Faculty of Education University of Kragujevac Trg Svetog Save 36, 31000 Užice, Serbia
Radovan Antonijević
orcid.org/0000-0003-4959-376X
; Faculty of Philosophy University of Belgrade Čika Ljubina 18-20, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Abstract
This paper describes the development and metric traits of a new research instrument
used to examine teachers’ assessments of the characteristics of cooperative learning in
language teaching in junior grades of primary school (class teaching). We integrated
findings obtained through a social-psychological approach on cooperative learning
and socio-constructivist outlooks on contemporary teaching and learning into the
structure of the Questionnaire – Teacher’s Assessment Scale (Q-TAS). In addition,
the starting point for the scale’s development was the analysis and appraisal of
existing instruments based on self-reports or reports of the respondents on the
implementation of cooperative learning, particularities of language teaching and class
teaching, as well as theoretical analysis of the construct of cooperative learning. The
survey included 240 teachers of the fourth grade of primary school who implement
cooperative learning in Serbian language classes from 14 districts of Serbia. In line
with the theoretical structure of cooperative learning’s characteristics, we designed
four subscales: Structuring a cooperative task, Forming cooperative groups, Principles
of cooperative learning, and Roles and activities of teachers and pupils. The scale’s
reliability as a whole, as well as the reliability of its constituent subscales was examined
by measuring internal consistency, whereas the structural validity of the subscales was
examined by means of exploratory factor analysis. In general, given the findings on
the reliability and validity of the subscales, we can conclude that the Questionnaire
- Teacher’s Assessment Scale has satisfactory metric traits, i.e. it is a reliable and
valid instrument for examining the characteristics of cooperative learning in current
language teaching. Finally, we offer critical assessment and recommendations for
further improvement of the developed instruments.
Keywords
assessment scale; class teaching; cooperative learning; language teaching; teachers.
Hrčak ID:
280316
URI
Publication date:
18.5.2022.
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