Sümeyya Kuş Gürbey, Uğur Büyük
This study aimed to develop and validate the Science Teacher Employability Scale for Private Schools, a psychometric instrument designed to assess the employability levels of science teachers in the private sector. The study adopted a quantitative research paradigm and utilized a survey method. For the Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) during the initial development phase, the sample comprised 360 volunteer science teachers and pre-service teachers selected through random sampling. A subsequent sample of 200 science teachers and pre-service teachers participated in the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). The initial data collection instrument was a 56-item competency scale. To establish the scale's validity, comprehensive content, face, and construct validity assessments were conducted. Expert opinions were sought to confirm content and face validity, while both EFA and CFA were performed to rigorously examine construct validity. The scale's reliability was determined by calculating Cronbach's Alpha and composite reliability coefficients. As a result of the EFA, 23 items were removed, yielding a three-factor structure for the scale, which was subsequently confirmed by the CFA. The CFA results indicated an acceptable model fit, with a Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) of 0.08, a Goodness of Fit Index (GFI) of 0.96, a Comparative Fit Index (CFI) of 0.98, and an Incremental Fit Index (IFI) of 0.98. The overall Cronbach's Alpha coefficient for the final scale was a high 0.97, and the composite reliability coefficients for each sub-dimension approached or exceeded the 0.70 threshold. Consequently, this research has successfully developed a 33-item, three-dimensional scale that provides robust evidence of validity and reliability for assessing the employability of science teachers in private school settings. This instrument offers a valuable resource for recruitment, professional development, and research in the fields of teacher education and employment.