Education Commons^™

Learning Journey Towards Reconciliation: Developing Teacher Self-Efficacy, Birgitte Biorn

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Current changes in curriculum and provincial teaching standards are intended to address the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Teachers are responsible for implementing the changes but do not yet have the knowledge or skills to effectively manage the transformative changes being suggested. This organizational improvement plan (OIP) aims to address the problem of practice associated with teacher efficacy to incorporate Indigenous-Informed pedagogy (IIP) using the collaborative model of professional learning communities (PLC). The triadic determination of beliefs, skills, and environment of social cognitive theory by Albert Bandura is highlighted as a necessary structure to ensure that …

Increasing Faculty Engagement: The Key To Meaningful And Sustainable Higher Education Internationalization, Judith J. Watson

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

According to the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (2014), over 80% of Canadian post-secondary institutions have identified internationalization as one of their top five priorities. However, the focus has been on inbound student mobility (King, 2018). Institutions have aggressively and successfully pursued student recruitment with international student populations increasing by approximately 78% from 2014/15 to 2019/20 (Statistics Canada, 2021). While rationalizing internationalization as a vehicle to improve academic and sociocultural outcomes, the literature suggests that universities are subjugating these objectives to economic and political motivations (de Wit, 2020; Garson, 2016). Strongly under the influence of neoliberal ideologies, post-secondary …

The Development, Short-Term Efficacy, And Pilot Implementation Of An E-Learning Course In Physical Activity And Sedentary Behaviour For Pre-Service Early Childhood Educators, Brianne Bruijns

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The overarching purpose of this dissertation was to develop an e-Learning course in physical activity and sedentary behaviour and test its short-term efficacy and implementation among pre- and in-service early childhood educators (ECEs). The Delphi approach was adopted for Study 1, wherein a panel of international experts in physical activity and sedentary behaviour suggested topics for the course and, together with a panel of ECE experts, rated their importance. Study 2 employed a pre-post design to explore the changes in pre- and in-service ECEs’ physical activity and sedentary behaviour-related knowledge, self-efficacy, behavioural intention, and perceived behavioural control following course completion. …

Caring For Teachers: Exploring Pre-Service Teacher Well-Being, Self-Efficacy, And Vicarious Trauma, Bernadette Yeo

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Teachers play an integral role in the lives and development of the students they teach. Many students are exposed to trauma and can experience mental health problems that can show up in the classroom context, making the school a natural environment for detection and response of these concerns. Unfortunately, the lack of appropriate teacher education on supporting students of diverse mental health needs can leave them feeling helpless and ill-equipped. In this current study, 236 teacher candidates enrolled in an online mental health course completed a survey examining their self-efficacy, well-being, and vicarious trauma. Correlation results indicated significant associations between …

Training, Barriers, And Self-Efficacy To Physical Education Instruction, Stephanie Truelove

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The overall purpose of this dissertation was to explore the physical education (PE) training that generalist and PE specialist elementary school teachers receive during their pre-service programs across the province of Ontario, and the differences between these two types of teachers regarding barriers faced and self-efficacy in instructing PE. Using an online survey, Study 1 aimed to examine and compare the PE teaching self-efficacy of generalist and PE specialist elementary teachers across Canada and the barriers to instruction faced. Study 2 qualitatively explored the experiences of elementary school generalist and PE specialist teachers when instructing PE, and the perceived barriers …

Bridging The Gap: Increasing Low Student Reading Achievement In A High Poverty School, Jordan Reynaud

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Abstract

This Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) aims to improve the low student reading achievement at an inner-city elementary community school in Saskatchewan, as set out by the provincial Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP). It is framed around a Problem of Practice (PoP), that is based on concerns relating to the difficulties associated with increasing student reading achievement in a high poverty school. With a central vision to develop a desired state of improving student reading achievement, this OIP is viewed through the lens of critical pedagogy. The use of transformational leadership in partnership with a liberal ideology and a critical …

Contributors Of Pre-Service Teachers’ Self-Efficacy For Teaching In Inclusive Classrooms: How Predictors Of Self-Efficacy Change Over Time, Evan Charles

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study investigated the extent to which demographic, experiential, and belief factors at two points in time predict pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy for teaching in inclusive classrooms, and how predictors change over time. Two hundred sixty-four Canadian pre-service teachers completed a demographic questionnaire, the Beliefs about Teaching and Learning Questionnaire (BTLQ) and the Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practices scale (TEIP) toward the beginning and at the end of their teacher education. The results showed that at both times, Canadian pre-service teachers have very strong pro-inclusion beliefs and have very high levels of self-efficacy for teaching in inclusive classrooms. Significant improvements over …

English Language Teacher Self-Efficacy Beliefs, Michael James Karas

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This dissertation investigates English language teacher self-efficacy beliefs. Based in Bandura’s (1997) sociocognitive perspective, teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs, their beliefs about their capabilities to enact various teaching tasks, have been shown to be impactful on numerous aspects of teachers’ professional lives. Research in both general education and language teacher education has shown that more efficacious teachers are often more motivated, exert a greater effort when teaching, have a higher morale, and can even positively impact their students.

Drawing on survey data from N = 571 participants across a variety of English language teaching contexts, this thesis takes an integrated article format …

Pre-Service Teachers' Science And Web 2.0 Affect And Aspiration: A Survey Study, Yu Song

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Teachers’ affect and aptitude towards science and technology influence their students through their teaching, other activities, and informal interactions. The study explored and understand Ontario pre-service teachers’ affects toward science and Web 2.0 by designing and validating a questionnaire that includes demographic, usage, and scale questions; and by surveying 134 B.Ed. students. The science part of the survey was validated and analyzed, the Web 2.0 scale items were excluded because of low correlation.

The results indicate that: (1) Pre-service teachers have overall high motivation, high self-efficacy, a positive attitude, and medium aspiration towards science. (2) Science motivation, self-efficacy, attitude, and …

A Mixed Methods Study: The Impact Of Self-Regulated Learning On L2 Writing And Strategy Use, Mohammed Almazloum

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This convergent mixed methods study aimed to find out how a self-regulated learning (SRL) instructional intervention could impact the Palestinian students’ second language (L2) writing and strategy use. L2 writers face common writing challenges, including but not limited to a lack of competences, effective writing approach, proactive planning, motivation, and self-efficacy (Hammad, 2016). Helping the students to overcome their challenges, improve their L2 writing, and become self-regulated writers was an expected outcome of the study. The study was informed by the social cognitive theory of SRL that views successful writers as proactive and self-regulated learners. In the quantitative part, a …

English Language Teachers' Required Knowledge And Self-Efficacy Beliefs About Pronunciation Instruction, Bei Zhang

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study investigated ESL teachers’ perceived level of self-efficacy in pronunciation instruction, perceived level of language and pronunciation proficiency, and level of pronunciation instruction knowledge. An online survey and follow-up interviews were administered. Results showed that, overall, ESL teachers in Canada report high levels of self-efficacy, language and pronunciation proficiency, and knowledge of pronunciation instruction. When comparing native English-speaking teachers (NESTs) with non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs), NESTs reported higher ratings on their self-perceived language and pronunciation proficiency, and self-perceived knowledge of pronunciation instruction. On the other hand, NNESTs reported higher ratings on their self-efficacy, desired levels of language and pronunciation …

Investigating Preservice Teachers’ Self-Efficacy And Practicum Experiences, Fiona E. Hunter

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the ways in which the experiences gained during practica influence the developing self-efficacy of Canadian preservice teachers in relation to inclusive classrooms. Questionnaires were issued to participants in teacher education programs at 11 institutions of higher education across Canada and the resultant data subjected to content analysis. Several themes emerged from the participant responses which were found to be influential in preservice teachers’ feelings of efficacy, with behaviour management having the greatest influence, regardless of whether participants felt successful or challenged. Academic outcomes, other school adults, relationships, diagnoses, individual education plans and …

Exploring Science Teachers’ Self-Efficacy Perceptions To Teach In Ontario’S Diverse Classrooms: A Mixed-Methods Investigation, Mithila Vidwans

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In the past few years, Canadian schools have experienced increasing diversity with a large number of English Language Learners (ELLs) becoming part of the mainstream classroom. Research has shown that ELLs will achieve academic success when their backgrounds are incorporated within the curriculum and pedagogy (Gay, 2000). However, our curriculum is largely Eurocentric and caters predominantly to mainstream students. As a result, it has become critical to investigate teachers’ perceptions in terms of providing inclusive pedagogy in various classroom contexts. Hence, the purpose of this study was to examine the self-efficacy perceptions of Ontario’s Science teachers to teach in diverse …

Learner Anxiety And Professional Practice Self-Efficacy In Nursing Education, Joanna Pierazzo

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of this study was to examine the affective component of learner engagement (Linnenbrink & Printrich, 2003); more specifically students’ perceptions of learner anxiety and self-efficacy for professional practice in clinical nursing education. This study identified the factors in clinical learning contexts that contribute to learner anxiety, the differences among these factors in real and simulated learning contexts, and finally, the teaching and learning strategies that minimize learner anxiety and positively enhance self-efficacy for professional nursing practice. A convenience sample of 186 students from three university nursing programs in Ontarioparticipated in a two-phased mixed methods study, reflecting a response …