Listen and learn: Research paper Research papers are a pairing of two 18 minute presentations followed by 18 minutes of Discussion led by a Discussant, with remaining time for Q & A.
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The concept of perceived self-efficacy is rooted in social cognitive theory and is “concerned with judgments about how well one can organize and execute courses of action required to deal with prospective situations containing many ambiguous, unpredictable, and often stressful elements” (Bandura & Schunk, 1981, p 587). An individual’s perception of ability to impact a situation is critical for whether or not they actually do affect change (Bandura, 2012). Teachers’ beliefs about their ability to make a difference for students impacts their resilience and persistence in difficult situations (Gibson & Dembo, 1984; Milner, 2003).
Many research studies have found that a teacher’s sense of self-efficacy was one of the variables highly related to student achievement (Medgley, Feldlaufer, & Eccles, 1989; Tucker et al., 2005) while others specifically noted the impact on Black students (Tucker et al., 2002). One way that teachers can develop their self-efficacy is by understanding the needs of learners in the classroom with strategies to teach them. “Teachers who believe that student learning can be influenced by effective teaching despite home and peer influence and who have confidence in their ability to teach persist longer in their teaching, efforts, provide greater academic focus in the classroom, give different types of feedback, and ultimately improve student performance” (Tucker et al., 2005, p. 29). Soodak and Podell (1994) also found a relationship between teacher self-efficacy and their beliefs about and actions toward difficult to teach students. Teachers with high self-efficacy were more likely to believe their teaching could impact student learning while teachers with low self-efficacy were more likely to look for solutions outside the classrooms (Soodak & Podell, 1994). In a study of teacher efficacy, researchers found that teacher self-efficacy for working with students of diverse backgrounds can be significantly increased by targeted training (Tucker et al., 2005). Teachers with a strong sense of efficacy believe student learning outcomes are within their control and are based on teacher behavior rather than outside influences. Researchers have identified connections between teachers’ sense of efficacy, culturally responsive pedagogy (Callaway, 2016), and student achievement (Oyerinde, 2008; Tucker et al., 2005).
Research on teacher efficacy and its relationship with culturally relevant teaching (CRT) illustrates a need to address teacher self-efficacy with respect to working with children from diverse backgrounds (APA, 2012; Oyerinde, 2008; Tucker et al., 2005). Efforts to increase teacher efficacy are vital in increasing the low academic achievement among culturally diverse students (Callaway, 2016; Tucker et al., 2005). Highly efficacious teachers have more persistence when helping struggling students, and they create lessons designed to engage their students (Bandura, 1997; Kitsantas, 2012; Protheroe, 2008). The project’s researchers have demonstrated simSchool’s impact on teachers’ instructional self-efficacy (Authors, 2009).
While refining their own best practices in this “flight simulator for teachers,” participants are encouraged to interact with this cognitive model over several sessions spanning several weeks, with micro-teaching interactions lasting from 15 to 30 minutes. The sessions are conducted within one of the selected or assigned modules. Each module focuses on a different aspect of teaching and ranges from classroom management to Pre-calculus. Prior to beginning the sessions, users review the student profiles that contain information on student strengths, preferences and academic performance so they can attempt to match instruction with learner needs. During the sessions, participants attempt to negotiate the simulated classroom environment while adapting their teaching to the diversity of students they encounter.
At the end of each simulation session, participants receive graphical feedback displaying degree of success at promoting academic (learning) increase in the class overall, as well as feedback regarding the degree of suitability of the instructional activities selected for each individual simulated student in the class. Among the aspects of instructional activities that are documented for review are impacts on individual students of conversational stances, communication patterns, and attentional habits of the teacher. This feedback can reveal aspects of a teacher’s implicit biases. Participants must view the feedback prior to completing another session in the module.
In addition, pre-post self-report data are being collected from both teacher participants as well as their students to measure changes in instructional self-efficacy related to culturally responsive teaching strategies and similar perceptions from their students.
The results from the year one pilot study showed significant changes in the self-report pre-post measures for the ten teachers who completed everything that included pre and post test self-reported survey data. Two of the scale measures increased significantly (p <.05) pre to post while all measures showed an educationally meaningful change from pre to post as calculated by the effect sizes (all above .30) (Bialo & Sivin-Kachala, 1996). The two measures that changed significantly (p <.05) were related to self-efficacy, the confidence that the participant can create these changes in the classroom. In addition, data collected through the simulation data collected during the modules showed significant (p <.05) increases for equity gains on one of the completed modules. Year two of the project will include more than 50 participating teachers to provide more confidence in research findings.
Identification of effective methods for bias reduction in teaching practices that can be applied on a broad scale for teachers throughout the nation is a key foundation for enabling every future member of society to achieve their highest innate and nurtured potential. This project has great potential to accelerate reflections and refinements in the science of teaching and learning.
The recognized importance of socio-emotional stability for the long-term well-being of current teachers and future productive citizens of our society has spotlighted the urgency of research such as that proposed in the simEquity project with its focus on mitigation of implicit bias. This project offers the prospect of finding a timely contribution to a large problem in our nation.
American Psychological Association (APA), Presidential Task Force on Educational Disparities. (2012). Ethnic and racial disparities in education: Psychology’s contributions to understanding and reducing disparities. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/ed/resources/racial-disparities.aspxAnderson, Graham, & Thomas, 2019
Bandura, A. (2012). On the functional properties of perceived self-efficacy revisited. Journal of Management, 38(1), 9 – 44.
Bandura, A., & Schunk, D.H. (1981). Cultivating competence, self-efficacy, and intrinsic interest through proximal self-motivation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 41(3), 586-598.
Bialo, E., & Sivin-Kachala, J. (1996). The effectiveness of technology in schools: A summary of recent research. School Library Media Quarterly, 25(1), 51–57.
Gibson, S., & Dembo, M.H. (1984). Teacher efficacy: A construct validation. Journal of Education Psychology, 76, 569-582.Gordon, M., & Cui, M. (2014). School-related parental involvement and adolescent academic achievement: the role of community poverty. Family Relations,63(5), 616-626. doi:10.1111/fare.12090.
Kitsantas, A. (2012). Teacher efficacy scale for classroom diversity (TESCD): A validation study. Vol. 16 no.1, Profesorado, Revista de curriculum y formacion del profesorado. Retrieved June 1, 2015, from http://www.ugr.es/local/recfpro/rev161ART3en.pdf
Knezek, G., & Christensen, R. (2009). Preservice educator learning in a simulated teaching environment. In Research Highlights in Technology and Teacher Education (Vol. 1, pp. 161–170).
Medgley, C., Feldlaufer, H., & Eccles, J.S. (1989). Student/teacher relations and attitudes toward mathematics before and after the transition to junior high school. Child Development, 60(2), 981-992.
Milner, H.R. (2003). Teacher reflection and race in cultural contexts: History, meanings, and methods in teaching. Theory into Practice, 42, 173-180.
Oyerinde, S.A. (2008). A correlational study of teacher efficacy and culturally responsive teaching techniques in four public middle schools. Dissertation University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Protheroe, N. (2008). Teacher efficacy: What is it and does it matter? Principal, 87(5), 42-45.
Soodak, L.C., & Podell, D.M. (1994). Teachers’ thinking about difficult-to-teach students. Journal of Educational Research, 88, 44-51.
Tucker, C.M., Porter, T., Reinke, W.M., Herman, K.C., Ivery, P.D., Mack, C.E., & Jackson, E.S. (2005). Promoting teacher efficacy for working with culturally diverse students. Preventing School Failure, 50(1), 29 -34.
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