Adapting Measures of Inclusion to Finnish Higher Education Teacher Educators' Context: Investigation of Validity and Reliability

Erkko Sointu; Virpi Vellonen; Kwok Ng; Aino äikäs; Leena Holopainen; Theresa Hoang

Adapting Measures of Inclusion to Finnish Higher Education Teacher Educators' Context: Investigation of Validity and Reliability

Abstract

Inclusive education requires staff commitment to the principles of inclusion, and teacher training is crucial to fulfilling its goals. However, research on higher education teacher educators' inclusive dispositions is lacking, particularly in the Finnish or Nordic context. To redress this situation, psychometrically sound research instruments are warranted. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability and factorial validity of two inclusion scales, namely Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practices (TEIP) scale and the Sentiments, Attitudes, and Concerns about Inclusive Education Revised (SACIE-R) scale, with a sample of Finnish teacher educators. Teacher educators (N = 229) from 13 higher education institutions were recruited to complete an online survey on the TEIP and the SACIE-R. Data were analyzed using McDonald's omega and several confirmatory factor analyses, and both measures displayed adequate reliability. Results indicated that TEIP had both three-factor and second-order factor models, and SACIE-R, a two-factor structure. This suggests that TEIP and SACIE-R provide adequate means to measure perceptions of inclusive education, particularly in the higher education context, and thus form a useful basis for the development of training programs to promote inclusive education.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

Ministry of Education and Culture (MoEC); University of Jyväskylä (JYU) and the National collaboration group for teacher education and research (KOPTUKE)

Project Number

MoEC, 2021–2022, grant no: OKM/90/523/2020; JYU & KOPTUKE 2021–2022, grant no: 648/02.03.01/2021.

Ethical Statement

No ethical statement was required. The study strictly followed EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR; 2016/679), national Data Protection Act (1050/2018), and national ethical principles of research with human participants (Kohonen, Kuula-Luumi, & Spoof, 2019).

Thanks

We would like to acknowledge the collaborators and partners in the Strengthening Finnish Teacher Educators’ Special Educational Skills and Digital Guidance Skills (HOHTO) and Research for Pedagogical Renewal of Teacher Education (OPUT) projects. Also, we sincerely thank the teacher educators who responded to the survey, and the funders. The HOHTO project was funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture (2021–2022; grant n:o OKM/90/523/2020), and the OPUT project received funding from the University of Jyväskylä designated for research on teacher education (National collaboration group for teacher education and research; KOPTUKE; 2021–2022; grant n:o 648/02.03.01/2021).

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Higher Education Studies (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Erkko Sointu ^*
0000-0003-4001-7264
Finland

Virpi Vellonen
0000-0002-3115-9749
Finland

Kwok Ng
0000-0002-5461-7706
Finland

Aino äikäs
0000-0003-4674-0533
Finland

Leena Holopainen
0000-0003-2026-3759
Finland

Theresa Hoang
0000-0002-4114-1868
Finland

Publication Date

April 30, 2025

Submission Date

February 19, 2025

Acceptance Date

April 24, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 14 Number: 1

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA69DA78XL

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Sointu, E., Vellonen, V., Ng, K., äikäs, A., Holopainen, L., & Hoang, T. (2025). Adapting Measures of Inclusion to Finnish Higher Education Teacher Educators’ Context: Investigation of Validity and Reliability. Journal of Teacher Education and Educators, 14(1), 59-77. https://izlik.org/JA69DA78XL