Impact of Professional Learning Addressing Bandura’s Efficacy Sources on Collective Teacher Efficacy

Abstract

Despite broad interest in fostering high levels of collective teacher efficacy, inquiries into the intentional development of collective teacher efficacy through professional learning are scarce in the literature. This mixed methods study sought to explore whether professional learning designed to enact the sources of efficacy and addressing the positive outcomes correlated with high levels of collective teacher efficacy, the sources of efficacy, and how to leverage those sources to grow and sustain high levels of perceived efficacy would result in increased collective teacher efficacy among participants. A positive impact on collective teacher efficacy was found among the small sample comprised of volunteer participants. Findings suggest there is potential value in embedding the body of research around collective teacher efficacy and detailing the four sources of efficacy in professional learning and in intentionally designing professional learning to enact the four sources of efficacy development. Further inquiry into the potential of professional learning designed to engage teachers as informed agents in efficacy development is indicated. Studies investigating teachers as informed agents in their own efficacy development are currently a unique contribution to the field.