Self-efficacy scale for university teaching in virtual environments, SSUTVE

Abstract

Self-efficacy is relevant in explaining performance and well-being in different domains of human behaviour. Despite this need, there are no instruments that assess self-efficacy in university teaching in virtual environments. Therefore, the objective of this study was to design the Self-Efficacy Scale for University Teaching in Virtual Environments (SSUTVE) and analyse its psychometric properties. Three studies were developed to achieve this. First, based on grounded theory, 31 university professors were interviewed in-depth, and the 10 categories that emerged were grouped into two dimensions of the construct. In the second study, 10 expert judges (university professors) evaluated the clarity, relevance, and pertinence of the items developed. In addition, 10 judges assessed the clarity of the items. Subsequently, 33 items were accepted, and the degree of agreement was acceptable (lower limit of confidence interval in Aiken's V above the expected). The third study analysed the internal structure. A total of 554 Peruvian university professors participated, and the scale presented adequate indexes of adjustment for a structure of nine correlated factors: basic technological skills, safety in virtual classes, ethical-legal aspects, guidance and/or advice in the use of technological resources (related to self-efficacy in digital competences) and planning, didactics, group management, mastery of the subject, and evaluation and feedback (related to self-efficacy in pedagogical competences). Additionally, the degree of reliability of the scores and constructs was acceptable. It was concluded that the SSUTVE presents psychometric evidence of validity and reliability for Peruvian university professors working in virtual environments.

Keywords: Higher education; Psychometrics; Reliability; Teaching; Validity.