Transpersonal Orientation to Learning Scale – TOTL
Measures attitudes toward using a transpersonal approach in education, incorporating intuitive, mystical, and transcendent modes of consciousness.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Transpersonal Orientation to Learning Scale – TOTL was developed by Shapiro & Fitzgerald (1989). It is designed to measure Transpersonal Orientation to Learning. The scale is intended for use with Educators, students, and adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 39 items organized into 4 factors/subscales: Fantasy Techniques Applied In Schools, Mysticism Preferred to Science as an Epistemology, Mystical/Occult/Paranormal Techniques Applied to Schools, Transcendent Consciousness.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy Techniques Applied In Schools | 21,25,26,27,32,33,34,35 | 8 |
| Mysticism Preferred to Science as an Epistemology | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,10,13,14 | 10 |
| Mystical/Occult/Paranormal Techniques Applied to Schools | 19,20,22,23,24,28,36,37,38,39 | 10 |
| Transcendent Consciousness | 8,9,11,12,15,16,17,18,29,30,31 | 11 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree).
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 39 to 195. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low endorsement of transpersonal education: 39 – 108
- Moderate endorsement of transpersonal education: 109 – 164
- High endorsement of transpersonal education: 165 – 195
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach's alpha of .96.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.