Factorial Structure of the Professional Orientation Scale for Grade-10 Students in Palestine
Keywords:
Professional orientation, 10th-grade students, Factor Analysis, Standards, Education in Palestine.Abstract
The study aims to construct and standardize a scale to measure professional orientation in Palestine for 10th-grade students. A stratified cluster sample of 1478 students was selected, from all 10th grades students in Palestine. The results indicated that the factorial structure of the scale was achieved as the reliability and validity were highly achieved via Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficients and conformity factor analysis which revealed 8 dimensions accounting for 76% of the total variance. Items were divided on dimensions and branches and results of factorial correlation yielded the 8-sided shape that includes the branches of the general secondary school stage (Achievement), forming the word BRANCHES, based on the fact that all branches are similar of comparable. Performance indicators of Grade 10 students were derived from the scale, by calculating the raw scores, medians, standard deviation, T-score, Z-score, and percentiles for each branch of secondary school stage.
It was found that the average performance of the total sample members on the total number of branches ranged from 6.36 to 11.18. The lowest performance was the agricultural branch, and the highest was the literary branch. The study recommended using the scale as one of the criteria for the distribution of tenth-grade students among secondary Branches.
