Validity and reliability of instrument competencies framework of agriculture educators: the Rasch Measurement Model

This study aims to produce empirical evidence of the validity and reliability of instrument items for the competency framework of agricultural teaching staff in Malaysian agricultural vocational colleges. The validity and reliability of the framework were analyzed using Rasch Model Measurement assisted by Winsteps 3.72 software. This research instrument contained 116 items, which was distributed to 30 instructors at the Teluk Intan Agricultural Vocational College, Malaysia. The selection of respondents was made by strata random where the researcher makes the strata of the population according to the percentage and then selects randomly based on the desired percentage. Validity analysis of the instrument was done through four functional testings. For reliability and separation of respondents, it was found that the individual reliability value was very good and acceptable. The results of the item polarity analysis detected no negative value (-) in the Point Measure Correlation value. Item matching analysis found that 11 items had to be dropped as they failed to meet the required conditions. From the analysis on local dependence that determines dependent items based on the standardized residual correlation value, it was discovered that the correlation value for the items used was detected; 13 items need attention. The results of the data analysis checking the functionality of the items suggested that some items should be dropped. The omission of these items has provided evidence that the instrument of competence of agricultural instructors is crucial to have a high level of validity and reliability for use in actual studies

Competency framework of agriculture educators vocational college: measurement model using partial least square-structural equation modeling

Competent instructors need to have the skills, abilities, and competencies to perform tasks effectively, which will affect student learning achievement. This study is guided by the theory of Boyatzis developed by Spencer and Spencer. The Iceberg Competency Model was used as a guideline to identify the competency elements of educators from the agricultural stream in vocational colleges (KV). This research study aims to explore and identify the existing competency elements of agricultural educators in KV. This study used a study population comprising 243 respondents of agricultural educators in KV. To answer the research question, the data analysis was done by Partial Least Squares - Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). This study is a study built to observe the relationship between the latent constructs studied. These constructs consisted of exogenous and endogenous constructs. In this study, exogenous constructs comprised value constructs, social roles, self-image, motives, traits and constraints. At the same time, endogenous constructs involved constructs of skills and knowledge. To ensure that the construct of this study gives meaning to the reflective measurement model, it was evaluated based on internal consistency reliability and validity. Regarding the framework, some indicators that did not qualify were dropped based on factor loading and average variance extracted (AVE). From the analysis conducted, 16 indicators were dropped since they did not meet PLS-SEM requirements. The total number of items retained was 71 indicators. At the final stage of this study, the evaluation model was implemented to form a framework involving the evaluation of the constructs linked to each other

Emergency Remote Teaching: Perceptions of College Vocational Lecturers Towards Constraints and Pedagogical Competencies

This study aims to identify the perceptions of vocational college lecturers on the constraints and pedagogical competencies that need to be possessed in delivering the curriculum when the COVID-19 pandemic hits the country. The curriculum delivery method implemented in this study is online with the emergency remote teaching (ERT) method. This study was a quantitative study that used a set of questionnaires as a research instrument. The respondents of this study consisted of 364 lecturers of vocational colleges throughout Malaysia. The data collected were analysed using the SPSS software. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to analyse the data. The results of the study found that enabling conditions factor and technological factors are the main constraints for vocational college lecturers in implementing ERT teaching. Overall, the level of lecturers' constraints is at a moderate level. Meanwhile, the aspect of pedagogical competence of lecturers in implementing ERT is also at a moderate level. The one-way ANOVA test conducted showed that there was a significant difference between the gender factors on the constraints and the pedagogical competence of the lecturers in implementing ERT. The study is significant to Malaysian Vocational College in identifying lecturers' perceptions of the constraints faced in implementing teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. Besides, this study is important to identify the pedagogical competencies possessed by lecturers when implementing teaching and learning at home using ERT

Validity and reliability of students perceptions on OBE approach in Malaysian VC using Rasch Model

This pilot study aims to produce empirical evidence regarding the validity and reliability of instrument of the perception of vocational college diploma students towards the Outcome Based Education (OBE) approach. Validity and reliability were analysed using Rasch Model Measurement assisted by Winsteps 3.72 software. This research instrument contained 26 items and was distributed to 60 diploma students of vocational college at the Northern Zone. Validity analysis of the instrument was done through four functional testings. For reliability and separation of respondents, it was found that the individual reliability value was 0.91, while that for items demonstrated an item value of 0.94 and item separation index of 3.90. Results from the analysis of polarity item found that 25 items had a positive PMC value between 0.52-0.83. Meanwhile, analysis on item fit found 23 items with an outfit mean-square value between 0.41 and 1.24. This situation suggested three items that require attention. In the analysis on local dependence that determines dependent items based on the standardised residual correlation value, it was shown that the correlation value for the items used did not overlap with that of other items. These findings provided the evidence that the instrument of perception of vocational college diploma students on OBE approach has a high level of validity and reliability to be used in actual studies

Rasch Measurement Model for validity and reliability of instrument food skills competencies in addressing food neophobia for preschool teachers

The aim of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of a newly developed instrument designed to measure food skills competencies in addressing food neophobia (FSFN) among preschool teachers. The Rasch Model Measurement was employed to analyze the validity and reliability of a159-items instrument that designed to measure FSFN of teachers working in one of Malaysian public early childhood institutions. The study included 31 teachers and assistant teachers who were selected through stratified cluster random sampling. The validity of the FSFN instrument was evaluated through four main functional analysis. Overall, both the respondents’ and items’ reliability values in the FSFN instrument were considered excellent and acceptable, ranging from 0.94 to 0.99 and 0.80 to 0.89, respectively. Point-measure correlation analysis revealed no negative values, and item matching analysis resulted to the elimination or revision of 22 items that did not meet the requirements. Additionally, based on the local dependence analysis, the standardized residual correlation value, detected 14 items that required removal. Thus, to enhance the FSFN instrument’s functionality, a total of 36 items were removed, and 123 items remained. This study believed that by eliminating these items, the FSFN instrument’s validity and reliability for the actual study would improv