An Alternative Interpretation of the Zhang and Oetzel Chinese Teacher Immediacy Measure

• In Event: Verbal and Nonverbal Immediacy at Work Both In and Out of the Classroom

Abstract

Instructional immediacy has been deemed one of the most influential of all instructional classroom behaviors. Behaviors that are perceived to be immediate vary by culture; therefore before studying immediate behaviors in any given country, the chosen measure of immediate behaviors must be validated within that culture. Zhang and Oetzel (2007) validated the Chinese Teacher Immediacy Scale among Chinese students in the U.S. and China. Based on data from a qualitative study, the assessment was tested as a multidimensional model, but not unidimensional as in previous studies. The purpose of the present study was to consider a unidimensional measurement model of instructional immediacy in the Chinese classroom. The unidimensional model was found to have slightly better fit and require three fewer items than the multidimensional model.

Authors

• Stephanie Kelly, North Carolina A and T State University

• Zachary Denton, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State U