The Effects of Study Abroad on Spanish Teachers' Self-Efficacy: A Multiple-Case Study

• In Event: 65.079 - Roundtable Session 23
  In Roundtable Session: 65.079-4 - Self-Efficacy in Professional Development

Abstract

Teacher efficacy, or the degree to which teachers feel as though they can affect positive outcomes in their classrooms, has received considerable attention over the last three decades (Bandura 1977, 1997; Tschannen-Moran & Johnson, 2011). Research has shown that foreign language teachers’ efficacy and language proficiency are predictors of their students’ success (Cubillos & Llvento, 2012). In this study, we examined secondary Spanish teachers’ self-efficacy while studying abroad. Using a multiple case design (Stake 2006), we conducted interviews, recorded field note observations and collected participant reflection journals. Findings revealed that participants’ experiences abroad caused them to reassess their language proficiency, identify areas of linguistic weakness, and commit to using the language more often in their classrooms.

Authors

• Chris J Jochum, Fort Hays State University

• Ana María Tejada, University of Nebraska - Kearney

• Jared R Rawlings, Stetson University