Assessing the dimensionality of computer self-efficacy among pre-service teachers in Singapore: A structural equation modeling approach

Abstract

This study examines the computer self-efficacy among pre-service teachers (N=708) at a teacher training institute in Singapore. Data were collected through self-reported ratings on a 7-point Likert-type scale. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed on an initial sample (N=354) and the result revealed that pre-service teachers' computer self-efficacy was explained by three factors: Basic Computer Skills (BCS), Media-Related Skills (MRS), and Web-Based Skills (WBS). Using a separate sample (N=354), a confirmatory factor analysis was performed and this supported the three-factor structure from the initial EFA. A comparison of alternative models revealed that the correlated three-factor and second-order (three -factor) models had the best fits; and were adequate representations of pre-service teachers' computer self-efficacy. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]