The Mediating Role of Decisional Capital on the Relationship Between Professional Community and Efficacy for Novice Teachers (Poster 50)

• In Event: Saturday Poster Session 3:05 pm
  In Poster Session: Research on Teacher Induction Poster Session

Abstract

This paper examines the mediating role of decisional capital on the relationship between early career teachers' sense of professional community and their sense of self-efficacy and collective efficacy. Using data from 343 early career teachers in 26 school districts, we find that decisional capital has a positive and statistically significant mediating effect on teachers' sense of efficacy and collective efficacy. Importantly, with decisional capital as a mediator, the direct effect of professional community on teacher sense of efficacy is not significant. This suggests that one important role of professional community needs to be improving teachers' sense of confidence and agency in their own classroom decision-making.

Authors

• Olasunkanmi James Kehinde, Norfolk State Uinversity

• Jeff Walls, University of Iowa

• Amanda S. Mayeaux, University of Louisiana at Lafayette

• Allison Comeaux, University of Louisiana at Lafayette