Developing an Attitude Scale for the Profession of Physical Education Teaching (ASPPET)

Abstract In this study, the development of a Likert-type attitude scale for the profession of physical education teaching (ASPPET) was aimed. The group of the study was consisted of totally 556 pre-service physical education teachers. In order to determine the structural validity of ASPPET, an exploratory and confirmative factor analyses were performed. A two-factor structure was determined as a result of the factor analysis. It was seen that while the first factor of the scale was consisted of positive and 13 items, the second factor was consisted of negative and 10 items. While the first factor explained 30,77% of the total variance and the second factor explained 23,30% of the total variance; it was seen that two lower factors explained 54,08% of the total variance together. The high adaptive values obtained as a result of the confirmative factor analysis showed that the two-factor structure of the scale was confirmed. Internal consistency coefficients of Cronbach alpha were calculated; it was determined as 90 for the first lower factor; 86 for the second lower factor and 88 for the whole scale. It was concluded that the scale, which was obtained from these findings, was a valid and reliable scale in measuring the attitude directed at the profession of physical education teaching. Key Words Attitude, Profession of Physical Education Teaching, Scale, Validity and Reliability. Teachers are important components of educational system (Kavcar, 2005). While Kucukahmet (2001, p.1) designates that "the magic wand in teaching is teacher's himself"; Yilmaz, Koseoglu, Gercek and Soran (2004) emphasize that teachers are indispensable elements of educational system as the ones who change and improve behaviors of students. Furthermore, they indicate that the success of an educational system cannot be considered separately from the teacher who realizes and carries out the system. The personal characteristics of a teacher, their skills in monitoring the teaching and learning processes, relations with students and environment are all factors which affect the studies and achievements of candidate teachers (Aydin, 1993). Teaching is a profession requiring awareness of new developments, ongoing professional training, patience, and dedicated studying. Being successful as a teacher is possible only through loving it (Cicek-Saglam, 2008). Another factor affecting the success of teachers is their attitude towards the profession (Guneyli & Aslan, 2009). Attitudes are "one of the personality characteristic of teachers affecting their students; in particular, attitudes towards the profession, student and school studies dramatically affect the learning process and personal character of the student" (Kucukahmet, 2003, p. 68). Attitudes are an important concept affecting human behaviors. Different definitions of attitude are present in the literature. According to Tavþancýl (2002), attitude is an emotional and intellectual state of readiness having directive and influential power on humans' behaviors towards all relevant states and objects occurring as a result of life and experiences. According to Demirel (2003, p. 93), it is "a learned inclination prompting an individual to certain behaviors towards certain persons, objects and states. " In another definition, attitude is defined as "an inclination of negative or positive learned reaction towards certain objects, states, institutions, concepts and persons" (Tezbaþaran, 1997, p. 1). In general, attitudes affect the senses, thoughts, and behaviors of individuals. According to this, irrespective of their teaching specialism, the attitudes of teachers towards their profession are of great importance in their affection for the profession of teaching, their success in the profession and in fulfilling the requirements of the profession (Durmuþoðlu, Yanýk, & Akkoyunlu, 2009). The attitudes and perceptions of a profession affect the perception of professional competence and the achievements in that profession (Terzi & Tezci, 2007). …