Sources of Teaching Self-Efficacy: A Scale Validation Open Access

Morris, David Brent (2010)

Permanent URL: https://etd.library.emory.edu/concern/etds/5m60qs18v?locale=en
Published

Abstract

Abstract
Sources of Teaching Self-Efficacy: A Scale Validation
By David B. Morris

The purpose of this study was to validate a scale designed to assess the sources of K-12 teachers' (N = 144) perceptions of efficacy. Four related objectives guided this investigation. First, I explored the psychometric properties of a scale crafted to measure the sources of teaching self-efficacy. Second, I sought to identify the independent contribution of each of the hypothesized sources to self-efficacy. Third, I assessed mean differences in the sources of teaching self-efficacy as a function of teachers' experience and level of education. Fourth, I examined the relationships among teaching self-efficacy, it sources, and teachers' satisfaction, stress, collective efficacy, optimism, authenticity, and invitations. Through analysis of descriptive statistics and factor analysis, I reduced the initial pool of 61 items to an 18-item scale. The retained scale included four subscales corresponding to the four sources hypothesized by Bandura. Social persuasions and physiological and affective states predicted teachers' overall self-efficacy. Teachers who had more than five years of experience reported more positive and less negative mastery experiences and social persuasions than did those with five or less years of experience. The hypothesized sources did not differ as a function of teachers' level of education. Teaching self-efficacy was weakly and often nonsignificantly related to positive psychology constructs (i.e., teachers' authenticity, optimism, and invitations). The four hypothesized sources tended to be moderately associated with these variables. This study represents an encouraging though preliminary step in the measurement of the sources of teachers' self-efficacy.

Sources of Teaching Self-Efficacy: A Scale Validation
By
David B. Morris
B.A., Emory University
M.A.T., Emory University
Advisors: Professors George Engelhard, Jr., Ph.D., and Ellen L. Usher, Ph.D.
An abstract of
A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the
James T. Laney School of Graduate Studies of Emory University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
in Educational Studies
2010

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION...1

Statement of the Problem...2
Purpose of the Study...6
Research Questions...9
Definition of Terms...9
Significance of the Study...13
Limitations and Delimitations...14

CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE...16

Overview of Social Cognitive Theory...16
Teaching Self-Efficacy...19
Theorized Sources of Teaching Self-Efficacy...23
Research on the Sources of Teaching Self-Efficacy...27

Overview of Research on the Hypothesized Sources...28
Measures of the Sources of Teaching Self-Efficacy...29
Research Findings on the Sources of Teaching Self-Efficacy...40

Related Teacher Motivation Variables...45

Teacher Satisfaction...46
Teacher Stress...47
Collective Teacher Efficacy...48
Optimism...49
Teacher Authenticity...50
Invitations...51

Demographic and Contextual Variables...52

Race and Ethnicity...53
Gender...54
Teaching Experience...56
Level of Education...57
Contextual Variables...58

Synthesis...59

CHAPTER 3: METHODS...63

Research Questions...63
Data Used in the Study...63
Participants and Setting...64
Instrumentation...65

Sources of Teaching Self-Efficacy...65
Teaching Self-Efficacy...66
Teacher Satisfaction...66
Teacher Stress...67
Collective Teacher Efficacy...67
Optimism...67
Teacher Authenticity...68
Invitations of Self and Others...68

Data Analysis...69
Reliability and Validity...74

CHAPTER 4: RESULTS...77

Creation and Analysis of the Sources of Teaching Self-Efficacy Scale...77

Descriptive Statistics...78
Exploratory Factor Analysis...79
Summary...84

Relationships between the Sources and Self-Efficacy...85
Relationships between the Sources and Teacher Education and Experience...86
Correlations with Teacher Motivation Variables...87
Summary...89

CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION...90

Validity of Sources of Teaching Self-Efficacy Scale...90

Mastery Experiences...90
Vicarious Experiences...93
Social Persuasions...95
Physiological and Affective States...96

Education, Experience, and the Sources of Teaching Self-Efficacy...97
Relationships Among Teacher Motivation Variables...99
Directions for Future Research...100

REFERENCES...106

APPENDIXES...154

APPENDIX A: Survey Used in the Study...152
APPENDIX B: Teacher Survey Items Analyzed in Previous Research...158
APPENDIX C: Teacher Survey Items Not Yet Analyzed...160

About this Dissertation

Rights statement
  • Permission granted by the author to include this thesis or dissertation in this repository. All rights reserved by the author. Please contact the author for information regarding the reproduction and use of this thesis or dissertation.
School
Department
Degree
Submission
Language
  • English
Research Field
Keyword
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor
Committee Members
Last modified

Primary PDF

Supplemental Files