Empirical development and verification of career well-being scale for teachers in Taiwan: Implications for workplace counseling.

As it is one decade since the establishment of Kidd's model, an analysis of the career well-being (CWB) experienced by Eastern workers is both timely and necessary. To this end, we conducted a series of logical investigations of CWB in Taiwanese school teachers. Study 1 was conducted to conceptualize the main features of CWB (n = 135), and Study 2 was conducted using exploratory factor analysis to determine the validity of a four-factor measurement structure (n = 191). In Study 3, tests were completed to confirm the factor structure of the CWB (n = 533). Accordingly, we established a theory-based CWB measurement approach, and statistical analysis verified the convergent, divergent, and criterion validity of our CWB measurement model. Exploratory structural equation modeling rather than confirmatory factor analysis is recommended in discussions of CWB theory and practice in educational contexts. However, because our sample solely comprised Taiwanese teachers, our results are not generalizable to other occupations or cultures, even Eastern or Chinese-derived cultures. Implications for both theory and workplace counseling practice are presented.

A study on the personal traits and knowledge base of Taiwanese medical students following problem-based learning instructions.

INTRODUCTION: Problem-based learning (PBL), a pedagogic concept using a student-centred approach and problem-solving through small group discussions, has been adopted in varying degrees for years at all 11 medical institutes in Taiwan. Much evidence has shown that a number of factors can seriously affect student performance in PBL courses, such as the design of PBL scenarios, the tutors' character and students' attitudes and efforts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The aim of this study was to examine how the personal characters or knowledge base of Taiwanese medical students influence their performance in a hybrid-PBL curriculum. A total of 309 (234 male, 75 female) high-school entry undergraduate medical students participated in this survey. Self-assessed personal traits were presented in a 44-item questionnaire with a Big Five factor structure. Knowledge base was assessed by students' score point average (SPA) based on their previous 4-year education in medical school. Peer-assessed performance of students in the PBL curriculum was carried out using a well-developed, reliable and validated evaluation form. RESULTS: Each student's peer-evaluated PBL performance can be divided into 5 principal components, which included control-lead, assist-coordinate, written organisation and compromise- comply (Eigen value >1). The consistency and reliability of the Big Five questionnaire on personal traits was analysed and discordant items were deleted (Cronbach's alpha = 0.72 to 0.86 after deletion). The relationship between the personal traits, knowledge base and PBL performance, as analysed by simple regression, showed that "extraversion" and "openness to experience" were positively related to the "assist-coordinate" characteristic in PBL performance, and "conscientiousness" was positively related to the "control-lead" characteristic in PBL performance. The SPA was positively related to the "assist-coordinate" or "control-lead" characteristic in PBL performance. The "agreeableness" was negatively correlated with the "control-lead" characteristic in PBL performance. After stepwise regression between the Big Five and each component of PBL performance, only the correlation between conscientiousness and control/lead, and between extraversion and assist/coordinate remained significant. CONCLUSION: Knowledge and personality characteristics appear to be associated with student performance in a hybrid-PBL curriculum. The implications of this study on the future development and application of this assessment tool in medical schools are presented.

Comparison of Internet-based and paper-based questionnaires in Taiwan using multisample invariance approach.

This study examines whether the Internet-based questionnaire is psychometrically equivalent to the paper-based questionnaire. A random sample of 2,400 teachers in Taiwan was divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group was invited to complete the electronic form of the Chinese version of Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) placed on the Internet, whereas the control group was invited to complete the paper-based CES-D, which they received by mail. The multisample invariance approach, derived from structural equation modeling (SEM), was applied to analyze the collected data. The analytical results show that the two groups have equivalent factor structures in the CES-D. That is, the items in CES-D function equivalently in the two groups. Then the equality of latent mean test was performed. The latent means of "depressed mood," "positive affect," and "interpersonal problems" in CES-D are not significantly different between these two groups. However, the difference in the "somatic symptoms" latent means between these two groups is statistically significant at alpha = 0.01. But the Cohen's d statistics indicates that such differences in latent means do not apparently lead to a meaningful effect size in practice. Both CES-D questionnaires exhibit equal validity, reliability, and factor structures and exhibit a little difference in latent means. Therefore, the Internet-based questionnaire represents a promising alternative to the paper-based questionnaire.