A PSYCHOMETRIC APPROACH TO ASSESSING UNIVERSITY LECTURERS' ATTITUDES ON THE TEACHING PROFESSION

The quality of teaching is a critical determinant of student learning and educational outcomes, often outweighing students’ socio-economic backgrounds. Effective pedagogy requires lecturers to be both knowledgeable and skilled in diverse teaching strategies to meet the needs of a wide range of learners and to prepare students for participation in a knowledge-based society. Attitude towards the teaching profession is a significant factor influencing lecturers’ performance, professional satisfaction, and the development of future teachers. Positive attitudes enhance professional dedication, self-regulation, and the overall quality of education, while negative attitudes can impede both teaching effectiveness and student learning. Given the centrality of attitude in shaping educational outcomes, this study focuses on the development of a reliable and valid instrument to measure university lecturers’ attitudes toward the teaching profession. Scaling, as a method of operationalizing and quantifying abstract psychological constructs, enables researchers to assess complex traits systematically, ensuring accuracy and reliability