Construct Validation of the English Language Teaching Reflective Inventory with a Sample of Turkish University EFL Instructors

Although Reflective Practice is a popular approach to teacher education, there have been some recent criticisms regarding its effectiveness in students learning. Some researchers have put this down to the fact that the concept has not been operationalised, and it is thus impossible to set up empirical studies. The current study was conducted to examine the construct validity in a Turkish higher education context of a recent inventory which was designed to measure the reflective practice of teachers of English as a Foreign Language. The sample was a group of instructors (n=173) working on the English language preparatory programs of four state-run universities in Turkey. The original model suggested six factors- cognitive, meta-cognitive, critical, practical, affective and moral. The factor structure of the instrument was examined using exploratory factor analysis with SPSS 13.0, and confirmatory factor analysis with AMOS 16.0. The results of the current study showed similarity with those of the original study. Specifically, the cognitive, meta-cognitive and critical factors remained largely intact, and the affective and moral factors were not validated. However, the practical factor was reduced from 7 to 3 items. The implications of the findings are discussed.