Development of a Project Preparation Competency Scale in Education

This research focused on developing a self-assessment scale to evaluate the project preparation competencies of teacher candidates. The aim was to capture their personal perspectives on their abilities. The scale's psychometric properties were then rigorously tested using both Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Data for the EFA phase was collected from a sample of 164 teacher candidates, allowing for the identification of underlying dimensions within the scale. Subsequently, a separate group of 301 teacher candidates, selected via purposive sampling, provided data for the CFA. This dual approach ensured both the exploration of factor structures and the confirmation of the hypothesized model. The final version of the scale emerged with a clear, three-dimensional structure: "project planning" (comprising 4 items), "project management" (with 6 items), and "data analysis and reporting" (including 4 items). This structure effectively captures the multifaceted nature of project preparation competencies. The scale demonstrated robust psychometric properties, accounting for 50.978% of the total variance, indicating its strong explanatory power. Furthermore, the Cronbach's Alpha value of .862 for the final scale confirmed its high internal consistency and reliability. Item-total correlations were also calculated for each item, further supporting the scale's reliability and validity. In conclusion, the developed scale provides a reliable and valid instrument for effectively measuring teacher candidates' competencies in project preparation within an educational context, offering a valuable tool for both self-assessment and educational program evaluation.