Teachers’ Engagement in Workplace Learning Activities: Validation of a Measure

Abstract

Quantitative research into the topic of workplace learning among teachers has been limited due to the lack of measures that are applicable to the educational settings. In this study, items measuring teachers’ engagement in workplace learning activities were generated through literature review and discussions with schoolteachers; selected by the authors; and then tested in a field study. The sample involved a total of 500 schoolteachers, selected through a multistage cluster sampling procedure. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to test the hypothesised two-dimensional model for the construct of engagement in workplace learning activities. Results indicated that the proposed model acceptably fits the data and the loadings were all significant at p<.05, thus lending evidence for the construct validity of the instrument. Implications for the use of this scale in future workplace learning research, particularly in the educational settings, are discussed.