In the rapidly evolving domain of educational research, the precise measurement of teachers’ knowledge and attitudes towards inclusive education remains a critical challenge. A recent study conducted within the Chinese context, focusing on preschool educators, shines a revealing light on this issue by developing and validating a comprehensive questionnaire designed to assess inclusive knowledge. While the innovation marks a significant step forward, the research also uncovers nuanced limitations and opportunities for further refinement in psychometric testing techniques used within this culturally complex environment.
The foundational aspect of this study involved constructing an assessment tool tailored to capture a broad spectrum of professional knowledge relevant to early childhood inclusive education. The questionnaire aimed to discern latent traits among preschool teachers, measuring their understanding of policies, pedagogical strategies, and attitudinal inclinations critical for fostering inclusion. This tailored approach acknowledges the unique social and educational dynamics within China, positioning the work as both regionally contextualized and globally relevant for comparative educational research.
Central to the analytical process was the adoption of the Rasch measurement model, a robust psychometric method prized for transforming ordinal raw scores into interval-level data. This methodological choice allowed researchers to evaluate both the difficulty of individual items within the questionnaire and the ability levels of respondents on a common scale. The Rasch model’s capability to deliver detailed item-level diagnostics provided an essential lens for understanding the instrument’s efficacy and paved the way for iterative improvements.
Despite the instrument’s overall functionality, a notable finding was the identification of a low item difficulty parameter across much of the questionnaire. This pattern indicates that the assessment items may not sufficiently differentiate among participants who possess varying degrees of inclusive knowledge. The implications are significant, as tests that cluster items at a similar difficulty level risk ceiling effects, diminishing their sensitivity and the granularity of insights derived from participant responses.
Expanding item difficulty is not simply a matter of adding harder questions; it necessitates the inclusion of nuanced professional knowledge and practical scenarios that better challenge respondents, promoting a more accurate stratification of teacher competencies. Moreover, the construction of distractor options—the incorrect answers designed to differentiate knowledgeable respondents from less informed ones—requires refinement to avoid overt negativity that may bias responses or provoke disengagement. The careful balancing of these elements is crucial in maintaining both the validity and reliability of the measurement tool.
Another dimension impacting the study’s generalizability is rooted in its sampling framework. The dataset predominantly represents urban preschool teachers from major Chinese cities, inadvertently excluding the rich diversity present in rural educational settings. Given the stark disparities in resources, training opportunities, and cultural perceptions of inclusion between urban and rural regions, this sample limitation calls for a deliberate expansion of participant demographics in subsequent research.
In this light, future iterations of the questionnaire must actively seek broader demographic inclusivity, encompassing varied geographic, socio-economic, and institutional contexts. Such diversity not only strengthens the representativeness of findings but also informs the customization of inclusive education strategies that are sensitive to disparate local realities. The inclusion of multiple repeated measurements over time further augments the ability to track changes in teacher knowledge and attitudes, enhancing the instrument’s longitudinal validity.
Underlying this research is the critical notion that psychometric properties—validity, reliability, and responsiveness—must be continuously interrogated and optimized through iterative validation processes. The application of the Rasch model represents an essential step, moving beyond traditional survey methodologies by emphasizing item characteristic curves, fit statistics, and person-item maps. These analytic tools offer a granular view of how well each question functions in concert with respondents’ latent traits, facilitating targeted questionnaire refinement.
Moreover, the study poignantly illustrates the balance between theoretical rigor and practical relevance. While statistical indices provide necessary validation checkpoints, the practical utility of the questionnaire hinges on its resonance with the everyday realities faced by preschool teachers. Thus, future research efforts should incorporate qualitative feedback from educators to contextualize psychometric findings, ensuring that instrument adjustments align with authentic teaching experiences and challenges.
The melding of quantitative modeling with qualitative insights might also address the nuanced phenomenon of socially desirable responses, particularly prevalent in educational research involving sensitive topics like inclusivity. Teachers may unintentionally respond in ways that reflect aspirational rather than actual knowledge, which underscores the importance of developing items that subtly minimize this tendency without compromising clarity or relevance.
In addition to expanding content and demographic diversity, leveraging technological advances such as computer adaptive testing (CAT) could revolutionize future assessments. CAT uses item response theory models, akin to the Rasch framework, to dynamically tailor question difficulty to each participant’s ability level, enhancing measurement precision while reducing respondent fatigue. Integrating such innovations within the inclusive knowledge questionnaire would position it at the forefront of educational psychometric tools.
From a broader perspective, the study’s contribution extends beyond the confines of China’s preschool education system. By providing a replicable framework for locally grounded yet psychometrically sound assessments, the research offers a valuable template for other countries grappling with the challenge of promoting inclusive practices in early childhood education. Cross-national collaborations leveraging this work could accelerate the accumulation of comparative data, fostering global best practices grounded in robust empirical evidence.
It is also noteworthy that the continued validation process advocated by the authors aligns with international standards for test development, emphasizing transparency, replicability, and incremental improvement. This approach exemplifies responsible scientific inquiry in educational measurement, where instruments must not only demonstrate initial validity but also maintain psychometric integrity over successive applications and diverse populations.
As inclusion becomes an educational imperative worldwide, equipping teachers with the requisite knowledge and skills gains urgency. Instruments like the one developed in this study serve as crucial diagnostic tools, identifying knowledge gaps, informing targeted professional development, and ultimately improving educational outcomes for children with diverse learning needs. The research thereby contributes to the critical infrastructure required for systemic reform towards equity and inclusion.
In summary, while acknowledging the current limitations regarding item difficulty, sampling diversity, and distractor design, the study harnesses the power of the Rasch model to deliver a pioneering measure of preschool teachers’ inclusive knowledge. The findings illuminate a clear path forward: expanding content coverage, enhancing sample representativeness, and embracing iterative psychometric advancements. These strategic priorities promise to refine the instrument’s precision and practical impact, fostering deeper understanding and support for inclusive education across varied contexts.
The underlying message resonates strongly with educators, policymakers, and researchers alike: developing and validating culturally responsive, psychometrically sound tools is foundational to advancing inclusion within early childhood education. Continued interdisciplinary collaboration and methodological innovation will be paramount in realizing this vision, propelling inclusive education from aspirational policy to effective practice across the globe.
Subject of Research: Measurement and validation of preschool teachers’ inclusive knowledge in the Chinese context.
Article Title: Development and validation of preschool teachers’ inclusive knowledge questionnaire in the Chinese context.
Article References:
Yang, CJ., Hu, BY., Jia, SJ. et al. Development and validation of preschool teachers’ inclusive knowledge questionnaire in the Chinese context.
Humanit Soc Sci Commun 12, 592 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-04896-8
Image Credits: AI Generated
