Measuring Pre-Service Teachers’ Value Literacy: A Scale Development Study

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to develop a valid and reliable "Value Literacy Scale" (VLS) that comprehensively determines individuals' capabilities to not only recognize values cognitively but also to analyze, critically evaluate, question, and internalize value-laden messages into their lives. The survey model, one of the quantitative research methods, was employed in the study. The study group consisted of 248 faculty of education students studying in the fall semester of the 2025-2026 academic year, selected through random sampling techniques. Following the Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) conducted to examine structural validity, overlapping and low-loading items were eliminated, resulting in a final 31-item instrument with a 6- factor structure that explains 64.54% of the total variance. In strict accordance with the theoretical framework, these sub-dimensions were named "Value Knowledge and Literature", "Value Awareness", "Social Influence and Guidance", "Analyzing Value Messages", "Critical Perspective and Analysis", and "Self-Reflection and Regulation". Cronbach’s Alpha internal consistency coefficient of the scale was calculated as .950, while the reliability coefficients of the subdimensions ranged between .758 and .889. Item-total correlations ranged from .446 to .727, and independent samples t-test results for the lower and upper 27% groups showed that all items had high and significant distinctiveness (p < 0.001). The psychometric findings demonstrate that the VLS is a highly reliable instrument that can be used for integrating values into educational curricula, material design, and monitoring teacher competencies.