Bridging contexts in STEM professional development
Validating a social validity measure across rural and nonrural educators
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22165384 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Angela Crawford (0000-0003-3646-0335, Boise State University, corresponding author), Angela Starrett (0000-0002-4818-0931, South Carolina Department of Education) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 10 |
| Publication date | 2025-07-30 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Frontiers in Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2504-284X • E-ISSN: 2504-284X |
| Publisher | Frontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH) |
| DOI | 10.3389/feduc.2025.1591267 |
| OpenAlex | W4412777539 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 20 |
Introduction This study investigates the measurement invariance of a survey assessing perceptions of STEM professional development (PD) resources among rural and non-rural educators. Social validity theory provides the framework for examining four constructs: feasibility, usability, appropriateness, and local relevance. Methods Using a mixed-methods approach, we conducted multi-group confirmatory factor analysis to test for configural, metric, scalar, and strict invariance. We also conducted a qualitative thematic analysis of open-ended responses to provide contextual insights and nuance. Results Results indicate full measurement invariance, supporting the validity of cross-group comparisons. Quantitative analyses show that rural educators rated PD resources significantly higher in feasibility and appropriateness, while no significant differences emerged for usability or local relevance. Thematic analysis revealed that rural teachers more frequently emphasized professional learning benefits and expressed more positive sentiment toward PD resources. Discussion These findings highlight the importance of designing STEM PD initiatives that account for contextual differences in resource accessibility, instructional autonomy, and community relevance. Implications for policy and practice include recommendations for tailoring PD to diverse educational settings to enhance educator engagement
Data science · Knowledge management · Career Development and Diversity · Computer Science · Diverse Educational Innovations Studies · Psychology · Teacher Education and Leadership Studies
Social Validity
Constructing and Reconstructing the “Rural School Problem”
The meaning of ‘relevance’ in science education and its implications for the science curriculum
Psychometric assessment of three newly developed implementation outcome measures
Testing Factorial Invariance With Unbalanced Samples
Evaluating Goodness-of-Fit Indexes for Testing Measurement Invariance
Sensitivity of Goodness of Fit Indexes to Lack of Measurement Invariance
Toward decolonizing STEM
The role of treatment acceptability, effectiveness, and understanding in treatment fidelity
Assessing the Hypothesis of Measurement Invariance in the Context of Large-Scale International Surveys
Measurement Theory and Applications for the Social Sciences
What Makes Professional Development Effective? Strategies That Foster Curriculum Implementation
Improving Impact Studies of Teachers' Professional Development
Principles and Practice of Structural Equation Modeling
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |