Leading By Serving: Enhancing Collective Teacher Efficacy, Adriana S. Klassen

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

The COVID-19 pandemic and neoliberal ideologies in Alberta have presented significant challenges for teachers, especially with the implementation of the new curriculum rollout beginning in 2022. Work intensification has emerged as a considerable problem, adversely affecting teachers' well-being and performance. This Dissertation-in-Practice examines this problem within the context of a public charter school for gifted students. It addresses this issue by focusing on collective teacher efficacy, guided by Bandura's social cognitive theory. A multifaceted leadership approach is adopted to tackle this challenge, guided by servant leadership and supported by instructional leadership, generative leadership, and culturally responsive school leadership. The central …

Collective Teacher Efficacy And Effective Title I Eligible Schools: A Mixed Methods Approach, Donald R. Mendenhall

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Students living in poverty have historically scored lower than more affluent peers. However, research suggests that collective teacher efficacy (CTE) may be more strongly associated with student academic success than socioeconomic background. Therefore, this study identifies successful Title I eligible schools that also have high levels of collective teacher efficacy to identify methods for increasing CTE in schools. A mixed methods research study model is used to explain how two successful Title I schools were able to achieve academic success and high levels of CTE. The study finds some of the perceptions of school staff, and the actions and processes …

Transformational Leadership Behaviors Of Department Leaders As A Predictor Of Collective Teacher Efficacy, Jason Stanton

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Researchers generally credit Albert Bandura for providing the theoretical framework for studying collective teacher efficacy. Research shows that principals using transformational leadership behaviors significantly impact collective teacher efficacy. Policies, such as Every Student Succeeds Act, increasingly put pressure on school districts to improve student achievement or lose funding. Supporting literature and research shows that improving collective teacher efficacy improves student performance regardless of student socioeconomic status. Therefore, a department leader’s ability to increase collective teacher efficacy amongst staff directly influences the student achievement within their school district. This researcher investigated the relationship between transformational leader behaviors of department leaders and …

Counter-Narratives And Revisionism: A Transformative Journey To Closing The Achievement Gap For Indigenous Learners Through Culturally Responsive School Leadership, Equity Transformation, And Nurturing Collective Teacher Efficacy, Elise Saraceni Mrs.

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Professional learning in the areas of Indigenous education, reconciliation, and antiracism is as much a personal journey as a professional one for educators today. At New Beginnings Middle School (NBMS, a pseudonym), Indigenous learners experience a significant academic achievement gap. This Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) explores how to cultivate teaching practices that create a more inclusive school environment and improve academic achievement for all Indigenous students. It proposes to guide educators through bias mitigation with integrated professional learning to develop culturally responsive pedagogy. Given the compelling correlation between inclusiveness and academic success, NBMS educators must work collectively to build confidence …

Anti-Exclusionary Leadership: Increasing The Achievement Of Marginalized And Minoritized Students In An Ontario High School, Nicholas J. Woolley

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

This Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) seeks to address the underachievement of marginalized and minoritized students at an Ontario secondary school. Using critical theory, the OIP recognizes that systemic barriers, the pervasive neoliberal performativity agenda, and educator biases and practices combine to reinforce stubborn inequities that negatively impact students who are racialized, poor, and/or identified as having special educational needs. The term anti-exclusion is used to propose an activist stance that challenges inclusion’s connotations of assimilation into a dominant culture. Addressing inequities in a publicly funded, top-down school district context requires adaptive leadership to foster collaborative professionalism while interrogating the status …

Increasing Support And Collective Teacher Efficacy Of Part-Time English-Language Instructors In A Japanese University, Philip J. Gurney

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

This organizational improvement plan (OIP) seeks to enhance the support and collective teacher efficacy of part-time English-language instructors in the Department of English Language and Culture (DELC) at Kei University (KU) (pseudonyms), a private university in the Kansai region of Japan. Currently, part-time and foreign part-time English-language instructors teach most of the compulsory English courses in the DELC at KU, but they receive limited institutional support and guidance, which negatively affects their ability to teach effectively and their students' learning outcomes. This OIP examines the lack of support and collective teacher efficacy of part-time instructors as a problem of practice …

Assessing The Fidelity Of School-Level Professional Learning Community Implementation, William W. Thigpen Ii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

As schools face increasing accountability, many have turned to professional learning communities (PLCs) as a possible solution. The challenge is that many schools are not implementing PLCs with fidelity. It is imperative that school leaders assess PLC practices to ensure that critical components are being implemented effectively. This research provides a framework for school leaders to assess school leader, teacher, and support staff perceptions of various PLC dimensions. Descriptive statistics were used to determine levels of agreement with statements related to six PLC dimensions. A one-way univariate analysis of variance tests (ANOVA) was used to analyze differences in mean …

Elementary Teachers' Self-Perceptions Of Teaching Team Effectiveness, Kelly Hank Denny

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, predictive correlational research study is to determine if there is a relationship between individual teachers’ self-perceptions of their grade level teaching team’s effectiveness and their teaching experiences. Research related to the development of effective teaching teams to positively influence academic progress is synthesized. Theoretical frameworks include Bandura’s (1986) social cognitive theory, Senge’s (1990) learning organization model, and Tuckman’s (1965) model of group development. Convenience sampling was utilized to gather data from 77 elementary teachers working in the same southeastern school district. The Tuckman Team Maturity Questionnaire (TTMQ) was the instrument used to determine teachers’ self-perceptions …

Principals Cultivating Collective Teacher Efficacy, Frank Vetter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nationally, collective teacher efficacy (CTE) has been correlated with higher levels of student achievement. The problem addressed through this study was that local school district leaders have been unsuccessful in cultivating CTE through the district’s collaborative planning process. Guided by the enabling conditions of CTE, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore how local middle school principals cultivated CTE in their schools through the collaborative planning process. Eight middle school principals with experience using the district’s collaborative planning process completed semistructured interviews. Data analysis employed inductive, open coding to identify themes. Themes indicated that, as part of …

Exploring The Relationship Between Work Engagement, Collective Teacher Efficacy And Transformational Leadership In Times Of Change, Michelle Lynn Estrada Smith

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Using the results from a 30-item survey taken by 292 K-12 teachers in six districts within a region of Southern California, this study analyzed the correlations among the constructs of work engagement (WE), collective teacher efficacy (CTE) and the degree of transformational leadership (TL) of the principal, during a time of rapid and necessary change in education brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. Seven specific TL behaviors were studied for their impact on WE and CTE. CTE and WE were studied for their impact on one another. The findings revealed significant and strong positive correlations between each of the constructs …

Disrupting The Status Quo: Leveraging Collective Teacher Efficacy For The Achievement And Wellbeing Of Bipoc And Low Socioeconomic Students, Marjorie E. Macdonald

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Abstract

At Mel Morgan Middle School (MMMS) a high percentage of students are of low socioeconomic status (SES). Compounding this problem is data which shows that students at MMMS also experience significant academic challenges. Educational challenges for students of low SES are like those experienced by Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC). Faculty beliefs and assumptions about how to effectively educate students from low SES and BIPOC communities are posited as a problem beyond their control. Despite the Legacy Regional Centre for Education’s (LRCE) commitment to student success through policies and documents such as student success planning, inclusive education, …

Culture And Collective Teacher Efficacy: A Case Study In Efficacy, Scott Jason Benson

Theses and Dissertations

The concept of collective teacher efficacy was first introduced by Bandura (1997) in the 1990's. Hattie's (2016) identification of collective teacher efficacy as the number one influence on student achievement has led to the idea that educators within a school have the ability to positively impact student achievement. In his research, Bandura identified four sources of both individual and collective teacher efficacy: mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, social persuasion, and affective state. The purpose of this qualitative research study is to identify aspects of school culture that support collective teacher efficacy. This was done by interviewing 32 members of the faculty …

Creating Conditions For Collaboration: A Case Study On Design-Based Professional Learning, Leslie A. Lehner

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Design thinking is a process for solving complex problems through creative actions. There are three primary ways design thinking is being used in education today: (a) as a teaching tool, (b) as a strategy for teachers to redesign their students’ learning experiences, and (c) as a tool for school leaders to design school change (Gallagher & Thordarson, 2018). Design thinking includes a strong emphasis on team-based learning regarding the problem and possible solutions (Lindberg et al., 2010). This case study describes one school’s approach to navigating complex challenges, inspiring school change, and developing conditions for meaningful collaboration using a design …

The Impact Of Collective Efficacy And Collective Inquiry On Closing The Achievement Gap, Anne Marie Yarborough

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this two-phased, mixed-method action research study was to investigate the impact of a professional learning community’s collective teacher efficacy and their practice of collective inquiry in closing the achievement gap of eighth-grade social studies English language learners. The research questions guiding this research: 1. How and to what extent will collective inquiry impact collective efficacy among teachers? 2. How and to what extent will a professional learning community's collective efficacy impact student achievement on the 8th-grade social studies state assessment for English language learners?

Social cognitive theory and adult learning theory provided the theoretical foundation for this …

Exploring The Role Of Collective Teacher Efficacy In Closing Achievement Gaps: A Review Of An Urban District Model School Program, Folusho B. Abayomi

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Abstract

Urban Academy is one of Urban Diverse School Board (UDSB)’s model schools situated in Ontario, Canada. A model school program was created to provide students with equitable access to resources and learning opportunities. Despite UDSB’s commitment to equity and inclusion, this urban school continues to experience persistent achievement gaps when aggregate data are analyzed. Based on student data, the achievement gap has been strongly connected to demographic factors such as low socioeconomic status (SES) of the parents. Educators’ beliefs and assumptions of low SES as an external factor posit achievement as a dilemma beyond teachers’ control. This Organizational Improvement …

Teacher Expectations, Self-Efficacy, And Collective Efficacy In Three Tennessee Literacy Networks, Amanda Tinker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there was a significant difference in the dependent variables- teacher expectations, self-efficacy, and collective efficacy among the three levels of the independent variable- membership in one three literacy networks in Tennessee- Leading Innovation for Tennessee (LIFT), Read to Be Ready Coaching Network (RTBR), and Tennessee Early Literacy Network (TELN)- and if significant correlations existed between the dependent variables for each network. The population consisted of 161 K-3 Tennessee teachers who had been involved in the work of one of the three networks. Participants responded to an online survey via Google …

Multi-Tiered System Of Supports As Collective Work: A (Re)Structuring Option For Middle Schools, Sonja M. Hollingsworth Dr.

Current Issues in Middle Level Education

Multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) is the overarching referent for frameworks designed to target behavioral and academic challenges with a focus on a tiered continuum of evidence-based practices within the context of prevention science and implementation research (Freeman, Sugai, Simonsen, & Everett, 2017). Extensive literature indicates that MTSS programs can be effective in helping teachers address academic and behavioral challenges. However, from the onset of the RtI movement and through its transition into the MTSS paradigm, many middle level schools have faced significant organizational and systemic challenges which hamstring their ability to utilize MTSS programming with fidelity. This essay proposes …

Increasing Collective Teacher Efficacy Through Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit And Coaching: A Community-Based Approach, Brenda Mercer

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Abstract

Instructional coaching in one remote northern community focuses on teacher mentorship and professional learning and prioritizes the implementation of prepackaged literacy resources. This focus on the implementation of prepackaged programs and data collection, promotes neo-liberal priorities and the privatization of education, over the methods that support the inclusion of Inuit cultural knowledge. Kostogriz (2011) states that we should be cautious about accepting the neo-liberal discourse of the literacy crisis and standardized reforms, the author suggests that low levels of literacy are not a large-scale problem so much as a result of under-provision of a socially just education.

This Problem …

The Science Behind The Art Of Teaching: Evaluation As Inspiration, Michele Bruniges Am

2009 - 2019 ACER Research Conferences

Teachers across Australia inspire students to love learning. Our best teachers are constantly evaluating their impact on learning outcomes and adapting their practice – balancing the art and science of teaching. As we move rapidly towards the third decade of the 21st century, there is more pressure than ever for all teachers to deliver both deep discipline knowledge and the skills students need to survive and thrive in the workplace of the future. We need to use technology and data to support teachers to maximise learning outcomes for their students. This has to be done in a way that helps …

The Role Of The Principal In Promoting Teacher Collective Efficacy Through Enabling School Structures:A Mixed Methods Study, Cynthia Coshatt Willingham

All ETDs from UAB

THE ROLE OF THE PRINCIPAL IN PROMOTING TEACHER COLLECTIVE EFFICACY THROUGH ENABLING SCHOOL STRUCTURES: A MIXED METHODS STUDY CYNTHIA WILLINGHAM ABSTRACT This explanatory mixed methods research study was designed to utilize teacher perspectives to investigate methods by which principals develop and maintain teacher collective efficacy in their schools through enabling school structures. The research utilized quantitative surveys given to teachers in selected high schools followed by interviews with nine teachers in designated schools to answer three research questions. The research questions were designed to a) determine the relationship between teacher collective efficacy and enabling structures in high achieving high schools, …

Exploring The Leadership Necessary To Develop Teacher Efficacy For Working With Marginalized Students In Support Of Improved Student Success: Helping Teachers Develop Both The Skill And The Will To Do So, Diane C. Charles

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

My OIP examines the leadership essential for principals to develop teacher efficacy in working with marginalized student populations. Data suggests disconnects between a District vision of success for all and actual student success rates of marginalized students. Research shows that teacher self-efficacy (TSE) and collective teacher efficacy (CTE) correlates directly to student success. Ignoring efficacy as a construct when working to develop teachers is something that must not continue. Principals have a lead role to play.

Research on efficacy identifies instructional and transformational leadership practices by principals as influential. Efficacy is a contextual construct. As such, I share an integrated …

The Perceived Impact Of Professional Learning Communities On Collective Teacher Efficacy In Two Rural Western North Carolina School Districts, Katie Thompson Bailey

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceived impact of professional learning communities (PLCs) on collective teacher efficacy in two rural western North Carolina school districts. The theoretical framework for this study began with the assumption that there was a direct linkage between PLCs and collective teacher efficacy.

The Professional Learning Communities Assessment-Revised (PLCA-R) survey instrument was utilized to collect data in two rural western North Carolina school districts. An elementary, middle, and high school from each district were involved in the study. Through the use of the PLCA-R, 95 total responses were obtained. In an attempt to …

Meta-Analysis Of The Relationship Between Collective Teacher Efficacy And Student Achievement, Rachel Jean Eells

Dissertations

Collective teacher efficacy is an emergent school level variable reflecting a faculty's collective belief in its ability to positively affect students. It has been linked in the literature to school achievement. This meta-analysis systematically synthesized results from 26 component studies, including dissertations and published articles, which reported at least one correlation between collective teacher efficacy and school achievement.

The research questions addressed the distribution of effect sizes for the relationship and the moderator variables that could explain any variance found among the studies. It was hypothesized that collective teacher efficacy would be strongly associated with subsequent student achievement, and that …