Recent research demonstrates that in many countries gender differences in mathematics achievement have virtually disappeared. Expectancy-value theory and social cognition theory both predict that if gender differences in achievement have declined there should be a similar decline in gender differences in self-beliefs. Extant literature is…

The authors extend findings from qualitative research on the effects of action research by reporting two linked quantitative studies (N = 80 and 105). They found that teachers who participated in collaborative action research experienced statistically significant improvements in attitudes to educational research and teacher efficacy. The pre-post…

Previous research has examined factors influencing teacher decisions to integrate technology using between-teacher designs. This study used a within-teacher design to compare students who were assigned multi-media learning objects for learning fractions with students taught by the same teachers who were not assigned to the technology. There were…

We investigated the impact of self-assessment training on student achievement and on computer self-efficacy in a technology-supported learning environment (grade 9 students using Global Information Systems software). We found that self-assessment had a positive effect on student achievement, accounting for 25% of the variance across three…

Students have difficulty learning fractions, and problems in understanding fractions persist into adulthood, with moderate to severe consequences for everyday and occupational decision-making. Remediation of student misconceptions is hampered by deficiencies in teachers' knowledge of the discipline and pedagogical content knowledge. We theorized…

Transformational leadership researchers have given little attention to teacher expectations that mediate between goals and actions. The most important of these expectations, teacher efficacy, refers to teacher beliefs that they will be able to bring about student learning. This study examined the mediating effects of teacher efficacy by comparing…

This paper examines how teachers' expectations of their ability to produce student learning varies within teaching assignments. In the study described here, 359 teachers in 9 restructuring secondary schools in 1 district estimated their ability to perform common teaching tasks in 4 of the courses they expected to teach in the coming school year.…

Experienced secondary teachers completed a survey probing their feelings of personal efficacy toward teaching different classes. Teachers' performance expectancies varied among teaching assignments. Within-teacher factors accounted for 21 percent of the variance in teacher efficacy (TE). The influence of within-teacher factors on TE was moderated…

After analysis of 88 studies of the antecedents and consequences of teacher efficacy, it was found that personal attributes and organizational characteristics were associated with higher teacher efficacy. There was consistent evidence that teacher efficacy influences teacher and student outcomes. Higher efficacy was associated with: being female,…

This study examined the collateral effects of WiggleWorks, an interactive literacy program, in two settings: a cohort study comparing random samples of grade 1 and 2 students before and after software implementation, and a longitudinal sample tracing students from kindergarten to grade 1. Showed increases in computer use, skills, and…

Examined effects of a change in teacher efficacy on primary school students' computer cognitions and skills when students moved to a new grade. Found that teacher efficacy explained 7 to 9 percent of student outcome variance. Effects were stronger when district inservice training was differentiated, distributed throughout the information period,…

Four grade-9 mathematics teachers in Canada were studied over one year as they implemented destreaming (detracking), which was an externally induced reform in their school system. Implementation of the destreaming had an immediate negative effect on teacher expectations of their own efficacy, but their beliefs rebounded over the year. (SLD)

Reports an effort to stimulate teacher efficacy by providing a teacher inservice to increase knowledge and skill in cooperative-learning techniques. Researchers measured teacher efficacy three times over eight months. Results indicated use of inservice knowledge, not exposure to it, contributed to changes in efficacy; and general, not personal,…

This research investigated the impact of combining two approaches to inservice teacher education (action research and train the trainer) on teacher attitudes and practices. The inservice developed assessment approaches aligned with cooperative learning instructional approaches. Teachers were introduced to a model of collaborative assessment aimed…

Reviews research on teacher efficacy, concluding that teachers who believe they are effective set more challenging goals for themselves and their students, take responsibility for student outcomes, and persist when faced with obstacles to learning. The article suggests that efforts to improve schools should include attention to teacher efficacy.…