Teacher Multicultural Attitude Survey

Abstract

The Teacher Multicultural Attitude Survey (TMAS) is a validated psychological instrument developed by Ponterotto et al. (1998) to assess the level of multicultural awareness and sensitivity among educators. The final version of the scale consists of 20 items, derived from an initial pool of 50, and is specifically designed for use with K–12 teachers and students enrolled in teacher education programs. The development involved rigorous item review, expert evaluation, and subsequent factor analysis, which ultimately confirmed that the scale measures a single, unified dimension of multicultural attitude.

Keywords

Teacher Attitudes, Multicultural Awareness, Cultural Sensitivity, Educational Psychology, K-12 Education, Teacher Training, Psychological Measurement.

Authors

Joseph G. Ponterotto, et al.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the TMAS is to provide a standardized, reliable tool for quantifying the attitudes and awareness levels of teachers regarding cultural diversity within the educational setting. This measurement is vital for both practicing K–12 teachers and those undergoing preparation in teacher education programs.

By assessing these attitudes, the TMAS assists researchers and educational administrators in evaluating the efficacy of multicultural training and professional development curricula. Furthermore, the scale helps identify specific attitudinal strengths and weaknesses among educators, thereby guiding targeted interventions aimed at fostering more inclusive and culturally responsive teaching practices.

Construct

The TMAS measures the psychological construct of multicultural awareness, which encompasses an educator’s sensitivity, appreciation, and recognition of the impact of cultural differences on classroom dynamics, student learning, and teaching methodology. While the initial item pool targeted broader concepts of sensitivity and competence, the final 20-item instrument focuses specifically on measuring attitudes toward and awareness of diversity.

Empirical evidence derived from the statistical procedures supports the instrument’s design as a measure of a single, overarching factor. This unidimensionality suggests that an educator’s attitude toward and awareness of cultural diversity can be interpreted as a unified construct within the context of teaching.

Validity

Evidence supporting the validity of the TMAS scores was established during the initial development phase, providing support for both construct validity and criterion validity. Construct validity was ensured through a thorough review of the existing literature, expert evaluation of the initial item pool, and subsequent confirmatory factor analytic procedures.

The consistency of the factor structure across different samples, which supported the scale’s theoretical basis as a single-factor measure of multicultural awareness, further reinforces its construct validity. Additionally, the authors reported evidence of criterion validity, indicating that the TMAS scores correlate appropriately with external measures relevant to multicultural attitudes and teaching effectiveness.

Reliability

The TMAS demonstrates robust score reliability, evidenced by high measures of internal consistency and stability over time. The original 30-item version of the scale yielded an alpha coefficient of 0.82. The refined 20-item TMAS showed excellent internal consistency, with a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.86. The theta coefficient was also calculated, registering at 0.89.

Furthermore, the temporal stability of the instrument was confirmed through test-retest procedures conducted over a three-week period with a subsample of 16 students, yielding a stability coefficient of 0.80. These coefficients collectively indicate that the TMAS provides highly consistent and stable scores across different administrations and within its item set.

Factor Analysis

The scale construction involved advanced statistical evaluation, including a principal components factor analysis. Although this initial analysis suggested the presence of four potential underlying factors, closer inspection revealed that the first factor was significantly dominant, accounting for 32.5 percent of the common variance.

Based on this finding and theoretical considerations, a forced, one-factor procedure was employed. This confirmed the scale’s unidimensional structure, with 18 of the final 20 items exhibiting factor loadings above the 0.35 threshold. This result was consistent with findings from Study 1, confirming that multicultural awareness, as measured by the TMAS, is best conceptualized and assessed as a single, unitary factor.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report attitude inventory (Likert scale)

Format: 20 items, scored on a 5-point Likert scale.

Language Available: English (Original development).

Population Group: Educators (K–12 Teachers and Teacher Education Students).

Age Group: Adults (Preservice and Inservice Teachers).

Population Details: Study 1 involved 429 participants (teachers and teacher education students) from New York, New Jersey, and New Hampshire. Study 2 consisted of 227 teacher education graduate students.

Test Methodology: Psychometric scale development involving literature review, expert panel evaluation, focus groups, and quantitative data analysis including means, standard deviations, item-total correlations, and factor analysis.

Keywords

TMAS, Teacher Education, Cultural Competence, Attitude Survey, Educational Assessment, Psychometric Reliability, Cultural Diversity.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided in source.

Correspondence Address: Not provided in source.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The scale was developed and initially validated in 1998, as documented in Educational and Psychological Measurement. Information regarding current usage permissions, licensing fees, and the availability of the scale must be sought directly from the lead author, Joseph G. Ponterotto, or the journal’s publisher.

Reference’s

• Ponterotto, J. G., et al. (1998). Development and initial score validation of the Teacher Multicultural Attitude Survey. Educational and Psychological Measurement 58:1002–16.

• Joseph, A. C. (2011). Examining the perceived role of teachers’ ethnic identity, empathy, and multicultural sensitivity on teacher burnout. PhD dissertation, Fordham University.

• Lin, L. G. (2011). Integrating Web2Quest technologies into multicultural education courses in Taiwan: A potential for globalization. PhD dissertation, Oregon State University.

• Phinney, J. S. (1992). The Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure: A new scale for use with diverse groups. Journal of Adolescent Research 7:156–76.

• Ponterotto, J. G., et al. (1995). Development and initial validation of the Quick Discrimination Index (QDI). Educational and Psychological Measurement 55:1016–31.

• Zygmunt-Fillwalk, E. M. (2003). Potential for change: The effects of curricular intervention on preservice education students’ attitudes toward multicultural teaching and learning. PhD dissertation, Ball State University.

Items of the Teacher Multicultural Attitude Survey

Scoring Information

The TMAS utilizes a 5-point Likert scale, with respondents indicating their level of agreement:

• Strongly Disagree = 1

• Disagree = 2

• Uncertain = 3

• Agree = 4

• Strongly Agree = 5

The scoring is reversed for items 3, 6, 12, 15, 16, 19, and 20. High scores represent greater appreciation and awareness of issues regarding multicultural teaching.

Inventory Items

1. I find teaching a culturally diverse student group rewarding.

2. Teaching methods need to be adapted to meet the needs of a culturally diverse student group.

3. Sometimes I think there is too much emphasis placed on multicultural awareness and training for teachers.

4. Teachers have the responsibility to be aware of their students’ cultural backgrounds.

5. I frequently invite extended family members (e.g., cousins, grandparents, godparents) to attend parent-teacher conferences.

6. It is not the teacher’s responsibility to encourage pride in one’s culture.

7. As classrooms become more culturally diverse, the teacher’s job becomes increasingly challenging.

8. I believe the teacher’s role needs to be redefined to address the needs of students from culturally diverse backgrounds.

9. When dealing with bilingual students, some teachers may misinterpret different communication styles as behavioral problems.

10. As classrooms become more culturally diverse, the teacher’s job becomes increasingly rewarding.

11. I can learn a great deal from students with culturally different backgrounds.

12. Multicultural training for teachers is not necessary.

13. In order to be an effective teacher, one needs to be aware of cultural differences present in the classroom.

14. Multicultural awareness training can help me work more effectively with a diverse student population.

15. Students should learn to communicate in English only.

16. Today’s curriculum gives undue importance to multiculturalism and diversity.

17. I am aware of the diversity of cultural backgrounds in my classroom.

18. Regardless of the racial and ethnic makeup of my class, it is important for all students to be aware of multicultural diversity.

19. Being multiculturally aware is not relevant for the subject I teach.

20. Teaching students about cultural diversity will only create conflict in the classroom.