Development and psychometric evaluation of an attitude scale on the use of new media technologies for teacher candidates – Turkish Form (ANMT-TC)

Abstract

Background: There is no valid and reliable measurement tool in Turkey that comprehensively assesses prospective teachers' attitudes toward new media technologies in education, culture, and art. This study aims to develop a valid and reliable ‘Attitude Scale Towards the Use of New Media Technologies for Teacher Candidates – Turkish Form’. Methods: The study was conducted in four sequential phases: a pilot study, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and a test–retest study. A total of 753 teacher candidates (591 female and 162 male) participated in the study. The average age of participants across all four stages was 21.34 (SD = 2.54). Results: Item statistics were calculated during the pilot study. The three-factor, 16-item scale demonstrated satisfactory fit indices with factor loadings ranging from 0.431 to 0.860 during the construct validity phase. Upon examining the final results of the CFA, the goodness-of-fit indices were acceptable (TLI = 0.928, CFI = 0.941, RMSEA = 0.061, SRMR = 0.061). Furthermore, the internal consistency of the ANMT-TC was satisfactory (Cronbach's alpha =.84). The test–retest reliability analysis also showed a positive correlation between the two measurements (r =.603, p <.01). Conclusions: The ANMT-TC demonstrates a satisfactory structure with validated validity and reliability among Turkish teacher candidates. The current findings support the idea that ANMT-TC can be used as a valid and reliable measure of effectiveness in the fields of education, culture, and the arts.