The Initial Design and Validation of the Teachers' Emotions, Appraisals, and Coping Habits when

271 Pages·2017·3.5 MB·English

by  Daniel Mason Alston

Clemson University
TigerPrints
All Dissertations Dissertations
8-2016
The Initial Design and Validation of the Teachers'
Emotions, Appraisals, and Coping Habits when
Facilitating Inquiry-Based Instruction (TEACH-
FIBI) Instrument for Science Education
Daniel Mason Alston
Clemson University
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Alston, Daniel Mason, "The Initial Design and Validation of the Teachers' Emotions, Appraisals, and Coping Habits when Facilitating
Inquiry-Based Instruction (TEACH-FIBI) Instrument for Science Education" (2016).All Dissertations. 1751.
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THE INITIAL DESIGN AND VALIDATION OF THE TEACHERS’ EMOTIONS,
APPRAISALS, AND COPING HABITS WHEN FACILITATING INQUIRY-BASED
INSTRUCTION (TEACH-FIBI) INSTRUMENT FOR SCIENCE EDUCATION

A Dissertation
Presented to
the Graduate School of
Clemson University

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Doctor of Philosophy
Curriculum and Instruction

by
Daniel Mason Alston
August 2016

Accepted by:
Dr. Jeff C. Marshall, Committee Chair
Dr. Michelle Cook
Dr. Eric McKibben
Dr. Penelope Vargas
ABSTRACT
Since the mid 1900’s, authors of science reform documents have advocated for
teachers to engage in inquiry-based instruction. However, most science teachers, even
highly qualified teachers, are not enacting teaching practices that align with what
constitutes as proficient inquiry-based instruction. Currently, new science reform
documents, in the form of The Framework for K-12 Science Education and the Next
Generation Science Standards (NGSS), are asking teachers and students to engage in
even more rigorous and challenging teaching and learning. Inquiry-based instruction is
once again an advocated strategy for accomplishing the high expectations set forth in
both documents. Many science teachers are unfamiliar with how to facilitate this type of
teaching and learning. This can result in teachers experiencing negative emotional
episodes as they struggle to facilitate inquiry-based instruction. Unchecked, these
emotional episodes have the potential to adversely alter teacher behavior which might
subsequently undermine the goals stated in the most current reform documents.
Therefore, it is critical that teachers’ emotions and how they manage their emotions be
further researched.
This study sought to design an instrument that assesses how science teachers
appraise and emotionally respond to challenging situations that can occur when
facilitating inquiry lessons. In order to accomplish this, a two phase exploratory
sequential mixed methods instrument design and refinement process occurred. This
process resulted in a preliminary version of the Teachers’ Emotions, Appraisals, and
Coping Habits when Facilitating Inquiry-based Instruction (TEACH-FIBI) instrument for
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science education. Results show that TEACH-FIBI reliably and validly assesses seven
appraisals and that it can also reliably assess the coping habits of the participating
teachers. Previous research supports the inter-measurement correlations which speaks to
the construct validity of the TEACH-FIBI. Implications and limitations of the study are
discussed and future steps to progress the TEACH-FIBI are delineated.
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DEDICATION
First and foremost, I would like to dedicate this dissertation to my
Savior and God, Jesus Christ. Without Him, I would not have made it to the finish line.
My family—Mom, Justin, Ebony, Dad, and Mazetta—was also a crucial part of me
completing this degree. Thank you all for the constant prayers, support, advice, and love.
Finally, I would like to dedicate this to my close friend Andy. You were a rock
throughout this journey and put up with me when I was despondent, frustrated, and
downright mean due to the struggles that come with completing a doctoral degree. Thank
you for your patience, encouragement, selflessness, and prayers.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank my advisor, boss, and chair—Dr. Jeff Marshall—
for his endless support and guidance throughout this process. He was always there to
push me to think deeply about my study and the questions I was asking. He was also
patient and allowed me to time to process after meetings so that the steps I took forward
were intentional. Without him, this dissertation would not have been possible.
I would also like to acknowledge my committee members, Dr.
Michelle Cook, Dr. Penelope Vargas, and Dr. Eric McKibben. The guidance each you
supplied provided me with much needed direction to make this dissertation a reality.
Thank you all for being willing to meet whenever I called and for providing honest
feedback that challenged and developed me.
I would also like to acknowledge two other individuals who were not
on my committee but who were influential in the completion of my dissertation. Dr.
Debbi Switzer provided me with advice as I started the journey of instrument design. She
offered her expertise during the planning phase and also assisted me when I was
analyzing and interpreting my quantitative results. Wendy Lucas offered to edit my
dissertation during the final months of writing and I am extremely grateful for the time
she spent proofing this document. Not only that, but the comments she provided during
her editing will continue to impact my writing as I progress as a researcher.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

TITLE PAGE .................................................................................................................... i

ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................... ii

DEDICATION ................................................................................................................ iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................. v

LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................... ix

LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................ xi

CHAPTER

1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................... 1
Statement of Problem ................................................................................ 8
Purpose of the Study ................................................................................ 11
Significance of the Study ........................................................................ 12
Definition of Terms ................................................................................. 14

2. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ................................................................... 17

Strategy for Searching the Literature ..................................................... 17
Inquiry-based Instruction and Science Education.................................. 17
Levels and Essential Features of Inquiry-based
Instruction ......................................................................................... 21
Barriers to and Challenges of Facilitating Inquiry-
based Instruction ............................................................................... 25
Theoretical Framework .......................................................................... 27
Dual Processing Self-Regulation Model ................................................ 28
Emotions and the Teaching Profession .................................................. 31
The Concept of Emotions ...................................................................... 31
Teachers and their Emotions .................................................................. 34
Regulating Emotions and the Teaching Profession ............................... 41
Emotional Regulation ............................................................................ 41
Coping .................................................................................................... 42
Assessing Teachers’ Use of Emotional Regulation
and Coping ........................................................................................ 44

vi
Table of Contents (Continued)

Page

3. METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................ 56

Overview ................................................................................................ 56
Research Goals and Objectives .............................................................. 58
Participants ............................................................................................. 58
Research Design..................................................................................... 63
Phase 1: Developing and Refining the Initial
Instrument ......................................................................................... 64
Phase 2: Piloting of the Instrument ........................................................ 68

4. RESULTS .......................................................................................................... 78

Phase 1: Initial Instrument Design ......................................................... 78
Phase 2: Pilot of the Instrument ........................................................... 138

5. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS ........................................................... 158

Discussion of Piloted TEACH-FIBI .................................................... 159
Implications.......................................................................................... 176
Limitations ........................................................................................... 180
Future Steps ......................................................................................... 181

APPENDICES ............................................................................................................. 187

A: District Consent Email ...................................................................................... 188
B: Principal Consent Email .................................................................................... 189
C: Teachers Consent Email .................................................................................... 190
D: Teacher Information Letter ............................................................................... 191
E: Focus Group Procedural Script ......................................................................... 193
F: Discrete Emotions Coding List.......................................................................... 198
G: Piloted TEACH-FIBI ........................................................................................ 199
H: Item Abbreviations and Scales .......................................................................... 208
I: TEACH-FIBI Item Descriptive Statistics ........................................................... 212
J: Shapiro-Wilks Normality Test for All Items ...................................................... 220
K: Normality: Skewness and Kurtosis z-scores ..................................................... 228
L: Scenario 1: Exploratory Factor Analysis Loadings ........................................... 232
viii
Table of Contents (Continued)

Page

M: Scenario 2: Exploratory Factor Analysis Loadings.......................................... 235
N: Factor Items for Scenario 1 ............................................................................... 237
O: Factor Items for Scenario 2 ............................................................................... 238

REFERENCES ............................................................................................................ 240

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LIST OF TABLES

Table Page

3.1 Demographic Information for Focus Group Teachers ................................... 61

3.2 Demographics of Survey Participants ............................................................ 63

3.3 PANAS Positive and Negative Mood Items .................................................. 74

3.4 Items of the Brief COPE, by Scale and Definition ........................................ 76

4.1 Challenging Scenarios with Features of Inquiry-based
Instruction and Emotion Intensity Level................................................ 80

4.2 Representative Quotes of the Different Types of
Emotion-Focused Coping Strategies.................................................... 112

4.3 Representative Quotes of the Different Types of
Problem-Focused Coping Strategies .................................................... 114

4.4 Primary Appraisal Categories and Associated Items ................................... 117

4.5 Secondary Appraisal Categories and Associated Items ............................... 118

4.6 Initial Emotion-Focused Coping Categories and
Associated Items .................................................................................. 119

4.7 Initial Problem-Focused Coping Categories and
Associated Items .................................................................................. 120

4.8 IRA and CVI Scores for Ego-Involvement Appraisal
Items ..................................................................................................... 121

4.9 IRA and CVI Scores for Goal Relevance Appraisal Items .......................... 123

4.10 IRA and CVI Scores for Goal Congruence Appraisal Items ....................... 127

4.11 IRA and CVI Scores for Problem Efficacy Appraisal Items ....................... 130

4.12 IRA and CVI Scores for Agency Appraisal Items ....................................... 131

4.13 IRA and CVI Scores for Emotion-Focused Coping Items........................... 133
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