title: The development and validation of a short form of the STERLinG: a practical, valid and reliable tool to evaluate teacher competencies to encourage reflective learning.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To optimize response rates, it is important to have brief, comprehensive instruments.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We have developed and validated a short form of an instrument for measuring students' perceptions of teachers' competencies to encourage students' reflective learning in small groups (the STERLinG).
  
  
  METHODS
  Based on statistical and content criteria, the original 36-item STERLinG was reduced to 15 items: three scales with five items each. This mini-STERLinG was validated. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed and internal consistencies were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The instrument was completed by 501 respondents (63%). The original instrument structure was confirmed with 62.6% explained variance. Reliabilities were high with 0.91 for the entire mini-STERLinG and 0.87, 0.85 and 0.81 for its subscales.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The mini-STERLinG was found to be a feasible, valid and reliable instrument.
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schönrock-Adema
authors.forename: Mirabelle A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Schaub-De Jong
authors.forename: Janke
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cohen-Schotanus
mesh_terms: D004777:Environment; D005178:Faculty / Q000592:standards*; D006126:Group Processes; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D011361:Professional Competence; D015203:Reproducibility of Results