Self-Efficacy Beliefs Among Teachers in the Teaching Profession Paper Example

Introduction

Recently more than half of the United States teachers change their careers in teaching in the first five years. This has been associated with overcrowded classrooms, poor behaviors of children in class as well as unsupportive administration. Studies reveal that the discontinuity between harsh realities and idyllic expectations (Chesnut & Burley, 2015). Other research studies are indicating that most teachers are not psychologically prepared to meet the demands of the learning process as well as overcome the limitations of the school setting.

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Although many studies on learning and teaching support the position of learners, only a few discuss the emotional aspects of the lives of teachers such as self-efficacy and the impacts of persistence in the profession of teaching (Donnell & Gettinger, 2015). However, according to, self-efficacy portrays that human achievements are directly proportional to his or her behaviors and environmental conditions around them.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study was to identify the main concerns of online students in the higher education system about the participation of teachers in ensuring the operation is a success. The research in this study also examines factors such as student engagement, community, teacher behavior, and participation in family, personality types, stress, and friend support groups, in and out of the classroom to reveal the perception of each in the learning and teaching process.

Research Question

The following guiding question makes the research study successful:

• What are the primary perceptions of most secondary school teachers concerning the influence of their self-efficacy on the academic achievements of their students?
• What personality do characteristics fit the positive and negative self-efficacy feelings in the teaching profession?
• What factors influence the professional self-efficacy of teachers in teaching?

Generally, the research process reveals the impacts of teachers' self-efficacy beliefs and actions in the teaching profession.

Roles of Researchers

The goal of this phenomenological study was to describe and explain the perception of people towards phenomenon itself as well as adding knowledge about the topics which are being contaminated by the opinions of researchers. However, the researcher was to be central in the participant's world and remain active throughout the research process to minimize any biases which can be realized in the study among readers. Similarly, the researcher was to provide a summative evaluation based on the participant's educational background as well as their personal life. The information from the researcher is to reveal any biases that can be retrieved from the participants. However, their responsibilities can extend to beyond the discrimination evaluation to other particular research programs which might be necessary for providing adequate information about the collected data before analysis is made.

Research Problem

According to Donnell & Gettinger (2015), new teachers are not emotionally and mentally emotionally prepared for the teaching profession and, therefore, are vulnerable to stress as compared to the who have more than five years in the system (Donnell & Gettinger, 2015). Approximately fifty percent of teaching has been recorded to have left the profession before reaching five years due to lack of self-drive as well as low self-efficacy sense. On the issue of lack of funds and large classrooms, most teachers usually feel burnt out and helpless. As a result, most students are influenced by these negative and inadequacy feelings.

Similarly, if a burnt out or stressed up teacher spends time in the classroom; it is usually evident that the result of the students is generally diminishing (Epstein & Willhite, 2017). Additionally, the teacher's turnover has also been seen as a severe issue in educational settings. Interestingly, higher self-efficacy among teachers assists in retaining more teachers while reducing their turnovers thereby decreasing the amount of money being lost by individual schools on incentives, hiring, recruitment, and professional development among others.

Data Collection Strategies

The nature of the study allowed the phenomenological qualitative research design to collect the needed data for the following reasons. The study aimed at revealing the teaching experiences from the viewpoints of teachers. Therefore, the exploration of the qualitative approach rather than quantitative strategies helped in examining the teachers and principals, as well as the students, think about the process of development perspectives which fits their position (Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2016). The data collection strategies which include qualitative approaches are naturalistic because the researcher remains a crucial figure in gathering and collecting all the useful data for the study.

Similarly, ethnography, narrative, and case study were the main types of research which were considered during the study process. Phenomenology was chosen due to its expansive conception of individual perception reality that may seem too far yet very close. However, the case study was limited to specific variables for concrete analysis. As a result, this allowed approximately twelve participants who were willing to participate in the research process and research in general.

Notably, the historical study was strongly emphasized although the study population looked very minimal as compared to the number of teachers who have recorded their dissatisfaction about self-efficacy and persistence in the teaching profession. Similarly, ethnography was also well considered, but only the common culture or feeling was described (Zee & Koomen, 2016). Persistence and self-efficacy in teaching reveal contrasting opinions among participants, thereby making the chosen approach to study essential.

Additionally, the study also used interviews for a wide range of aspects and experiences that are being seen among the teacher. The data from the interviews were compared for meaning units or clusters and themes which can be obtained from the participants.

Ethical issues in the Study

The main participants in the data collection process who the heads of the schools participating in the research process were notified via written consent and email whether or not they could be willing to allow their teachers to participate in the research. Each teacher regardless of his teaching experience was to respond and sign all the questions based on their prior interactions with aspects of self-efficacy in the learning and teaching process (Merkle et al., 2016). The whole participation process was entirely voluntary and free from danger.

The data and documentation were kept confidential. This information was either held in either a thumb or file drive (Chesnut & Burley, 2015). Most crucial ones were kept in a locked closet. All the information and data on the computer were stored under the saved password which can only access the store. However additional records will be destroyed after three years to allow the further study to commence.

Accountability was another point of concern in all the data collected from the teachers regarding their position in the self-efficacy issue. Any information or data collected was accounted to maintain explicit credibility while dealing with the significant differences between the two sets. Researchers remained honest and truthful as much as they can by citing all the necessary documents to support their point of the stand (Zee & Koomen, 2016). Overall, the strongest morals and high standards of confidentiality were upheld throughout the research process.

Researchers also remained objective in all aspects of the research study. Due to the complexity of the whole process of discriminating between the two sets of qualitative research peer review was mandatory for the participant to disclose any personal interest which may influence the credibility of the research process (Aldridge et al., 2016). The participants were also allowed to listen to their interviews and could withdraw their previous comments or erase the entire interview.

Pseudonyms for the names of the administrators, schools, teachers as well as other staffs were used because actual names may have a negative and lasting impact on the people involved as well as the corresponding schools. Most school systems are small and knowing the speakers is easy. Therefore pseudonyms names keep secret the identity of the respondents.

Limitations of the Study

The most obvious challenge in the study was getting all the needed information within the recommended time. Familiarity with the participants also became a disturbing concern because of the data to the collected involved active participation of the respondents. Similarly, the sample chosen to disambiguate the two sets of qualitative approaches provided substandard data will do not meet the threshold of the study question. In regard, the overall data obtained failed to provide adequate information which is needed to make a concrete conclusion about the research problem.

Recommendation

In the present study, the study failed to investigate significant differences based on marital status gender and children in the home. Therefore a new survey would focus on involving the differences between male and female teachers as well as their views about self-efficacy. Similarly, this will be applied among couples with children against the ones without children.

Additionally, further studies could examine the mild effects on self-efficacy depending on the marital status of the teachers. Others studies could also compare and contrast the number of teachers who exercise self-efficacy against the ones who do not.

This research also failed to provide comprehensive information while comparing the relationship between teacher and administration; therefore future studies will focus on giving detailed information about such issues and their impacts on self-efficacy.

References

Aldridge, J. M., & Fraser, B. J. (2016). Teachers' views of their school climate and its relationship with teacher self-efficacy and job satisfaction. Learning Environments Research, 19(2), 291-307.

Chesnut, S. R., & Burley, H. (2015). Self-efficacy as a predictor of commitment to the teaching profession: A meta-analysis. Educational Research Review, 15, 1-16.

Donnell, L. A., & Gettinger, M. (2015). Elementary school teachers' acceptability of school reform: Contribution of belief congruence, self-efficacy, and professional development. Teaching and Teacher Education, 51, 47-57.

Epstein, A., & Willhite, G. L. (2017). Teacher efficacy in an early childhood professional development school. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 7(2), 189-198.

Merkle, E. C., Yu, D., & Preacher, K. J. (2016). Testing nonnested structural equation models. Psychological Methods, 21(2), 151.

Skaalvik, E. M., & Skaalvik, S. (2017). Dimensions of teacher burnout: Relations with potential stressors at school. Social Psychology of Education, 20(4), 775-790.

Zee, M., & Koomen, H. M. (2016). Teacher self-efficacy and its effects on classroom processes, student academic adjustment, and teacher well-being: A synthesis of 40 years of research. Review of Educational Research, 86(4), 981-1015.