A Factor Analytic Study of Teacher Knowledge About Response to Intervention: Effective Use of Survey Data

• In Event: 45.086 - Narrating Special Education and Intensive Reading Interventions: Findings From Mixed Methods and Multiple Perspectives

Abstract

Purpose
The purpose of this presentation is to describe teachers’ knowledge about RTI and their understanding about literacy instruction and intensive reading interventions available to students with intensive needs at their school site. Our objective in this presentation is to confirm and describe factors in a survey of response to intervention (RTI) knowledge, eliminate unnecessary items to improve usability and practicality for teachers, and present a psychometrically sound tool for educators to use and interpret.

Methods: Research Questions, Participants, and Data Sources
A survey called the Response to Intervention (RTI) Survey of Teacher Knowledge was adapted from multiple surveys (ELITE, 2012; Roberts, 2004). In a prior study, we used this survey to conduct an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with a separate and smaller sample (Al Otaiba et. al, 2018) and found three factors: Teacher Knowledge about Tier 1 RTI, Teacher Knowledge about Leadership and School Systems, and Teacher Knowledge about Data Based Decision Making. In this current presentation, we report findings from a larger sample and use a confirmatory factor analytic approach to confirm the previously developed factors. The research addressed three main research questions:

1) What is teachers’ knowledge about RTI and intensive interventions?
2) Were the original three factors confirmed in the new survey data?
3) Could specific items from the survey be removed to improve model fit and improve parsimony?

As part of the larger study, we recruited 37 public elementary schools across five states to participate in the larger study. Across these schools, we recruited a minimum of two educators per grade; thus a total of 686 teachers in grades 1-5 responded to the 52 item RTI Survey through SurveyMonkey. The 52 items consisted of questions teachers answered based on a 5 point Likert scale, and they reported their demographics. We then conducted a three-factor confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in accordance to the three factors that were developed in the previous EFA. Our initial analysis confirms the three factors, and we have begun an iterative process, to delete items one at a time and rerun the CFA in order to improve model fit to a statistically acceptable level.

Results and Remaining Analyses
Analysis is still ongoing; however, initially, we have confirmed the three factors: Teacher Knowledge about Tier 1 RTI, Teacher Knowledge about Leadership and School Systems, and Teacher Knowledge about Data Based Decision Making. The objective of the session is to describe these three factors and present a psychometrically sound tool for educators to use and interpret.
Scholarly Significance
Currently, few studies have analyzed the factor structure of surveys to rate teachers’ knowledge generally, or specifically about RTI and reading (Al Otaiba et. al, 2018; Cantrell, Joshi, & Washburn, 2011; Phelps & Schilling, 2004; Barnes & Burchard, 2011). Findings from this study will extend our own prior study and the knowledge base while, providing educators with insight to analyze areas of strength and areas for improvement in their knowledge of these specific factors, which can then lead to targeted professional development.

Authors

• Patrick Lan, Southern Methodist University

• Stephanie Al Otaiba, Southern Methodist University

• Paul Yovanoff, Southern Methodist University