This concurrent multi-phase mixed methods study investigated whether indicators of Social Cognitive Theory could be observed in Grades 3-5 classrooms and if these indicators could be used to describe teacher effectiveness in high poverty schools. The conceptual framework drew upon Bandura's (1997) measurement of the individual self-efficacy of…

Teachers, one of the basic vital human resources of the education system, play an important role in comprehensive restructuring actions carried out in education, as well as in developing schools, increasing the quality of education, and forming an effective school culture and climate. Therefore, determining the variables that affect the…

As the population of English Learners (ELs) continues to rise in the United States, there is a need to investigate the efficacy of teachers who are assigned to instruct them. The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that contribute to teacher efficacy when mainstream elementary/middle school teachers instruct ELs while addressing the…

This study was designed for the purpose of quantitatively examining the significant elements of reform-based professional development and their relationship to teachers' self-efficacies for inclusion. The theoretical frameworks for this study were drawn from Bandura's (1997) self-efficacy and social cognitive theory in addition to pre-existing…

Students with disabilities in Grades 3-5 in a Georgia school are not meeting state academic standards. The No Child Left Behind Act requires schools to ensure that all students meet these standards; those schools that do not make gains enter into School Improvement status. This study was conducted to determine if staff development that focused on…

Researchers have recommended that teacher education candidates receive multiple opportunities for systematic implementation of practices within authentic contexts. These experiences form an important foundation for candidates' beliefs about their abilities in classrooms. Yet, few researchers have examined the relationship between the context for…

This study, based on Bandura's social cognitive theory, explored the two dimensions of teacher efficacy among reading program types (Harcourt; Houghton Mifflin; MacMillan McGraw Hill; Pearson Scott Foresman; and, Other) and selected demographic factors (school enrollment size; student ethnicity; school district of urban, rural, and suburban;…

Collective teacher efficacy refers to teacher perceptions that they constitute an effective instructional team, capable of bringing about learning in students. Previous research demonstrates that a school staff with a strong sense of collective efficacy is likely to generate high student achievement. This study of 2,170 teachers in 141 elementary…