School autonomy – a cross-national perspective. Can we compare the opinion of school principals?

• Authors: Dorota Węziak-Białowolska , Maria Magdalena Isac
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

Perception of school autonomy was measured by the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS) 2009, allowing potential cross-national comparison. The possibility of a common, general scale for all countries participating in the study was investigated. Using multi-group confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis, measurement invariance was tested for countries, such that meaningful comparisons for the concept could be made. The results show that the concept is not necessarily comparable between all countries involved in the ICCS but that secondary data analysis is generally feasible depending on the research questions posed and the methodology applied. The scientific and practical implications of this reach are discussed.

Keywords

EN

school autonomy; measurement invariance; factor analysis; ICCS

• Publisher: Instytut Badań Edukacyjnych
• Journal: Edukacja
• Year: 2014
• Issue: 4(129)
• Pages: 5–20

Dates

published

2014-12-31

Contributors

author

Dorota Węziak-Białowolska

• European Commission – Joint Research Centre, Econometrics and Applied Statistics Unit

author

Maria Magdalena Isac

• European Commission – Joint Research Centre, Econometrics and Applied Statistics Unit

References

• Arcia, G., Macdonald, K., Patrinos, H. and Porta, E. (2011). School autonomy and accountability. System assesment and benchmarking for education results (SABER). Washington, D. C.: The World Bank.
• Asparouhov, T. and Muthén, B. (2009). Exploratory structural equation modeling. Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 16(3), 397–438. doi:10.1080/10705510903008204
• Asparouhov, T. and Muthén, B. (2014). Multiple-group factor analysis alignment. Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 21(4), 495–508. doi:10.1080/10705511.2014.919210
• Barrera, F., Tazeen, F. and Patrinos, H. (2009). Decentralized Decision-making in schools. the theory and evidence on school-based management. Washington, D.C.: The World Bank.
• Baumgartner, H. and Steenkamp, J.-B. E. M. (1992). The role of optimum stimulation level in exploratory consumer behavior. The Journal of Consumer Research, 19(3), 434–448.
• Browne, M. W. and Cudeck, R. (1992). Alternative ways of assessing model fit. Sociological Methods and Research, 21(2), 230–258.
• Byrne, B. M. (2008). Testing for multigroup equivalence of a measuring instrument: a walk through the process. Psicothema, 20(4), 872–882. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18940097
• Byrne, B. M., Shavelson, R. J. and Muthen, B. (1989). Testing for the equivalence of factor covariance and mean structures: the issue of partial measurement invariance. Psychological Bulletin, 105(3), 456–466.
• Byrne, B. M. and van de Vijver, F. J. R. (2010). Testing for Measurement and structural equivalence in large-scale cross-cultural studies: addressing the issue of nonequivalence. International Journal of Testing, 10(2), 107–132. doi:10.1080/15305051003637306
• Chen, F. F. (2007). Sensitivity of goodness of fit indexes to lack of measurement invariance. Structural Equation Modeling, 14(3), 464–504.
• Cieciuch, J., Davidov, E., Vecchione, M., Beierlein, C. and Schwartz, S. H. (2014). The cross-national invariance properties of a new scale to measure 19 basic human values: a test across eight countries. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 45(5), 764–776. doi:10.1177/0022022114527348
• Davidov, E. (2008). A cross-country and cross-time comparison of the human values measurements with the second round of the european social survey. Survey Research Methods, 2(1), 33–46.
• Davidov, E., Meuleman, B., Billiet, J. and Schmidt, P. (2008). Values and support for immigration: a cross-country comparison. European Sociological Review, 24(1), 583–599. doi:10.1093/esr/jcn020
• Davidov, E., Meuleman, B., Cieciuch, J., Schmidt, P. and Billiet, J. (2014). Measurement equivalence in cross-national research. Annual Review of Sociology, 40(1), 55–75. doi:10.1146/annurev-soc-071913-043137
• De Jong, M. G., Steenkamp, J.-B. E. M. and Fox, J.-P. (2007). Relaxing measurement invariance in cross- national consumer research using a hierarchical IRT model. Journal of Consumer Research, 34(2), 260–278.
• Di Gropello, E. (2004). Education Decentralization and accountability relationships in Latin America. World Bank Policy Research Working Paper, 3453. Washington, D. C.: The World Bank.
• Di Gropello, E. (2006). A comparative analysis of school-based management in Central America. World Bank Working Paper, 72. Washington, D. C.: The World Bank.
• European Commission (2007). Eurydice - School autonomy in Europe: Policies and measures. Brussels: European Commission.
• Fuchs, T. and Woessmann, L. (2007). What accounts for international differences in student performance? A re-examination using PISA data. Empirical Economics, 32(2–3), 433–462.
• Gregorich, S. E. (2006). Do Self-report instruments allow meaningful comparisons across diverse population groups? Testing measurement invariance using the confirmatory factor analysis framework. Medical Care, 44(11), 78–94.
• Hanushek, E. A., Link, S. and Woessmann, L. (2011). Does school autonomy make sense everywhere? Panel estimates from Pisa. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper, 17591. Retrieved from http://www.nber.org/papers/w17591
• Horn, J. L. and McArdle, J. J. (1992). A practical and theoretical guide to measurement invariance in aging research. Experimental Aging Research: An International Journal Devoted to the Scientific Study of the Aging Process, 18(3), 117–144.
• Hu, L. and Bentler, P. M. (1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling, 6(1), 1–55.
• Kline, R. B. (2011). Principles and Practice of Structural Equation Modeling (3rd ed., pp. 1–427). New York–London: The Guilfor Press.
• Lubke, G. H. and Dolon, C. V. (2003). Can unequal residual variances across groups mask differences in residual means in the common factor model? Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 10(2), 175–192.
• Marsh, H. W. (2004). In Search of golden rules: comment on hypothesis-testing approaches to setting cutoff values for fit indexes and dangers in overgeneralizing Hu and Bentler’s (1999) findings. Structural Equation Modeling, 11(3), 320–341.
• Marsh, H. W. (2009). Exploratory structural equation modeling, Integrating CFA and EFA: Application to students’ evaluations of university teaching. Structural Equation Modeling, 16(3), 439–476.
• Marsh, H. W., Hau, K. and Wen, Z. (2004). In search of golden rules: comment on hypothesis- testing approaches to setting cutoff values for fit indexes and dangers in overgeneralizing Hu and Bentler’s (1999) findings. Structural Equation Modeling, 11(3), 320–341.
• Marsh, H. W., Muthén, B., Asparouhov, T., Lüdtke, O., Robitzsch, A., Morin, A. J. S. and Trautwein, U. (2009). Exploratory structural equation modeling, integrating CFA and EFA: application to students’ evaluations of university teaching. Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 16(3), 439–476. doi:10.1080/10705510903008220
• Marsh, H. W., Nagengast, B. and Morin, A. J. S. (2012). Measurement Invariance of big-five factors over the life span: ESEM tests of gender, age, plasticity, maturity and la dolce vita effects. Development Psychology, 49(6), 1194–1218. doi:10.1037/a0026913
• Marsh, W. H., Ludtke, O., Muthen, B., Asparouhov, T., Morin, A. J. S., W., H. and Trautwein, U. (2010). A new look at the Big-Five factor structure through exploratory structural equation modeling. Psychological Assessment, 22(3), 471–491.
• Maslowski, R., Scheerens, J. and Luyten, H. (2007). The effect of school autonomy and school internal decentralization on students’ reading literacy. School effectiveness and school improvement. International Journal of Research, Policy and Practice, 18(3), 303–334.
• Meredith, W. (1993). MI, factor analysis and factorial invariance. Psychometrika, 58(4), 525–543.
• Meredith, W. and Teresi, J. A. (2006). An essay on measurement and factorial invariance. Medical Care, 44(11 Suppl 3), 69–77. doi:10.1097/01.mlr.0000245438.73837.89
• Millsap, R. E. and Kwok, O.-M. (2004). Evaluating the impact of partial factorial invariance on selection in two populations. Psychological Methods, 9(1), 93–115. doi:10.1037/1082-989X.9.1.93
• Muthén, L. K. and Muthén, B. O. (2012). Mplus user’s guide (7th ed., pp. 1–856). Los Angeles, CA: Muthen and Muthen.
• Nagengast, B. and Marsh, H. W. (2014). Motivation and engagement in science aroung the globe: testing measurement invariance with multigroup structural equation models across 57 countries using PISA 2006. In L. Rutkowski, M. von Davier and D. Rutkowski (eds.), Handbook of International large-scale assessment: background, technical issues and mathods of data analysis (pp. 317–244). Taylor and Francis Group.
• OECD (2010). PISA 2009 results: what makes a school successful? resources, policies and practices (vol. IV). Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264091559-en
• OECD. (2012). Education at a glance. Paris: OECD Publishing. Retrieved from: http://www.keepeek.com/Digital-Asset-Management/oecd/education/education-at-a-glance-2012_eag-2012-en#page1
• Rutkowski, D. and Rutkowski, L. (2013). Measuring socioeconomic background in PISA: one size might not fit all. Research in Comparative and International Education, 8(3), 259–278.
• Rutkowski, L. and Svetina, D. (2014). Assessing the hypothesis of measurement invariance in the context of large-scale international surveys. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 74(1), 31–57. doi:10.1177/0013164413498257
• Schulz, W. (2009). Questionnaire construct validation in the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study. IERI Monograph Series Issues and Methodologies in Large-Scale Assessments, 2, 113–136.
• Schulz, W., Ainley, J. and Fraillon, J. (eds.). (2011). ICCS 2009 Technical Report. Amsterdam: IEA, ACER, NFER, Universita degli Studi Roma Tre. Retrieved from http://www.iea.nl/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/Electronic_versions/ICCS_2009_Technical_Report.pdf
• Schulz, W., Ainley, J., Fraillon, J., Kerr, D. and Losito, B. (2008). International Civic and Citizenship Education Study: assessment framework. Amsterdam: IEA.
• Schulz, W., Ainley, J., Fraillon, J., Kerr, D. and Losito, B. (2010). ICCS 2009 international report: civic knowledge, attitudes and engagement among lower-secondary school students in 38 countries. Amsterdam: IEA.
• Schulz, W. and Friedman, T. (2011). Scaling procedure for ICCS questionnaire items. In W. Schulz, J. Ainley and J. Fraillon (eds.), ICCS Technical Report (pp. 157–259). IEA, ACER, nfer, Universita degli Studi Roma Tre. http://www.iea.nl/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/Electronic_versions/ICCS_2009_Technical_Report.pdf
• Selig, J. P., Card, N. A. and Little, T. D. (2008). Latent variable structural equation modeling in cross-cultural research: multigroup and multilevel approaches. In F. J. R. van de Vijver, D. A. van Hemert, and Y. H. Poortinga (eds.), Multilevel analysis of individuals and cultures (pp. 93–119). New York, NY: Taylor & Francis Group/Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
• Torney, J. V, Oppenheim, A. N. and Farnen, R. F. (1975). Civic education in ten countries: an empirical study. Stockholm: Almqvist and Wiksell.
• Torney-Purta, J., Lehmann, R., Oswald, H. and Schulz, W. (2001). Citizenship and education in twenty-eight countries: civic knowledge and engagement at age fourteen. Amsterdam: IEA.
• Van de Schoot, R., Kluytmans, A., Tummers, L., Lugtig, P., Hox, J. and Muthén, B. (2013). Facing off with Scylla and Charybdis: a comparison of scalar, partial and the novel possibility of approximate measurement invariance. Frontiers in Psychology, 4(Ml), 770. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00770
• Welkenhuysen-Gybels, J., Billiet, J. and Cambré, B. (2003). Adjustment for acquiescence in the assessment of the construct equivalence of Likert-type score items. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 34(6), 702–722. doi:10.1177/0022022103257070
• Weziak-Białowolska, D. (2014). Differences in gender norms between countries – are they valid? The issue of measurement invariance. European Journal of Population. doi:10.1007/s10680-014-9329-6
• Winkler, D. and Gershberg, A. (2000). Education decentralization in Latin America: the effects on the quality of schooling. LCSHD Paper Series, 59.
• Wu, C. (2007). An empirical study on the transformation of Likert-scale data to numerical scores. Applied Mathematical Sciences, 58(1), 2851–2862.

Notes

http://www.edukacja.ibe.edu.pl/images/numery/2014/4-1-weziak-isac-school-autonomy-crossnational-perspective.pdf

Identifiers

ISSN

0239-6858