Factor analysis and internal consistency of pedagogical practices questionnaire among health care teachers

Abstract

Teaching practice is one of the most complex topics of the training process in medicine and other health care careers. The Teaching Practices Questionnaire (TPQ) evaluates teaching skills. Aim: To assess the factor structure and internal consistency of the Spanish version of the TPP among health care teachers. Material and Methods: The TPQ was answered by 315 university teachers from 13 of the 15 administrative Chilean regions, who were selected through a non-probabilistic volunteer sampling. The internal consistency of TPP factors was calculated and the correlation between them was analyzed. Results: Six factors were identified: Student-centered teaching, Teaching planning, Assessment process, Dialogue relationship, Teacher-centered teaching and Use of technological resources. They had Cronbach alphas ranging from 0.60 to 0.85. Conclusions: The factorial structure of TPQ differentiates the most important functions of teaching. It also shows a theoretical consistency and a practical relevance to perform a diagnosis and continuous evaluation of teaching practices. Additionally, it has an adequate internal consistency. Thus, TPQ is valid and reliable to evaluate pedagogical practices in health care careers.