Teachers educational philosophy orientation profiles: Latent profile analysis and multigroup measurement invariance using the educational philosophy orientations scale

The purpose of this study was to examine teachers’ educational philosophy orientations through the educational philosophy orientations scale (EPOS), confirm the scale’s four-dimensional structure, identify teachers’ orientation patterns on the basis of latent profiles, and test whether the scale demonstrates measurement invariance across gender groups. The study was conducted within a quantitative research framework with a sample of 350 teachers representing diverse demographic characteristics. Data were collected through the EPOS and a personal information form. The analytical procedure included descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-tests, one-way analysis of variance, confirmatory factor analysis, latent profile analysis, and multigroup measurement invariance testing. The findings showed that teachers scored high on progressivism, moderate on reconstructionism and perennialism, and low on essentialism. The four-dimensional structure of the scale was confirmed, teachers’ educational philosophy orientations were grouped into four distinct latent profiles, and the scale demonstrated configural, metric, and scalar invariance across gender groups. Overall, the study indicates that teachers’ educational philosophy orientations reflect both multidimensional and pattern-based structures, while also highlighting the explanatory value of combining variable-centered and person-centered approaches in educational philosophy research. The findings may help teacher educators and policy makers better understand how teachers’ educational philosophy orientations cluster into distinct profiles. They may also guide professional development programs that are sensitive to teachers’ philosophical orientations and instructional decision-making patterns.