AUTHOR=Feng Luo , Yuxiang Yao , Lihua Qiu 

TITLE=The structure and evaluation of educational research skills and accomplishments among rural teachers: Data from China

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=Volume 14 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.955921

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2023.955921

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=The rural teachers’ educational research is highly valued and very important for their
professional development and for the revitalization of rural education. This study explores the
structure of rural teachers’ educational research (Study 1). Based on the results, the regional
norm of Hunan province is formulated, and the discriminant criterion of rural teachers’ educational research is developed (Study 2). In Study 1, data from two samples of 892 Chinese
rural teachers in compulsory education schools of Hunan Province (a representative province in
central China) support the constructs of the instrument. Principal exploratory and confirmatory
factor analyses of 33 items of rural teachers’ educational research self-rating scale identified a
first-order model with three factors: educational research on carrying out basic educational
activities (CEA), educational research on creating an educational community (CEC), and
educational research on refining and popularizing educational theory (RPE). Based on the results
of Study 1, in Study 2, the norm of rural teachers’ educational research is formulated based on
the data of Hunan Province. This norm serves as the reference standard for evaluating the level of
rural teachers’ educational research. The structure of rural teachers’ educational research is
discussed, and suggestions for the formulation of education policies are provided.