Connections Between the Sources of Teachers’ Creative Self-Efficacy and Their Well-Being in School

• In Event: Developing Educators’ Social and Emotional Competencies to Advance Educational Possibilities

Abstract

Objectives. Teacher self-efficacy is a critical factor for professional growth. It plays a role in a multitude of positive outcomes for both teachers and their students (Pfitzner-Eden, 2016). This study aims to study the sources of teachers’ creative self-efficacy development across a collaborative and creative professional development experience. Additionally, this exploratory study aims to understand the relationships between sources of creative self-efficacy and teacher well-being in their work.

Theoretical Framework. Bandura’s (Bandura, 2000, 2018) model of self-efficacy within human agency emphasizes that agency is a collective phenomenon. Humans do not develop the confidence in their capacity in a vacuum, rather this self-efficacy develops in relationship to others, such as through interactions and vicarious experience. For teachers developing their skill for creative teaching and learning, developing self-efficacy is both challenging and key to their continued risk-taking and growth (Pfitzner-Eden, 2016; (Rubenstein et al., 2013). Recent research found that teachers developed their creative self-efficacy in a training experience most effectively when they felt supported and psychologically safe with the uncertainty demanded by creativity (Author, 2021; 2022). When this self-efficacy developed, they also experienced a reduction in their creative anxiety and felt less secondary traumatic stress (Author, 2022).

Methods. We used an explanatory sequential mixed method design (Creswell & Plano-Clark, 2018), emphasizing the quantitative and qualitative data equally. Qualitative responses were coded according to the concepts that were measured. We adapted the survey scales on sources of self-efficacy (Pfitzner-Eden, 2016) to focus on creativity and used measures of hope, optimism, and resilience in teaching from the Psychological Capital Scale (Luthans et al., 2006). Teachers responded to open-ended questions about their experience.

Data Sources. Participating teachers (N = 17) from a large urban district enrolled in an online creative teaching PD experience. The online training provided teachers a research-based understanding of creativity in teaching and learning through reflective, experiential, and arts integrated instruction and application. Teachers learned and applied a variety of teaching techniques to integrate creative and artistic processes into their instruction and curriculum, starting with brief creative routines.

Findings. Our preliminary results indicate a relative balance among the sources of self-efficacy. Verbal persuasion by instructors had a mean of M = 7.19 (SD = 2.73); mastery experiences had a mean of M = 7.19 (SD = 2.47); vicarious experiences had a mean of M = 6.90 (SD = 2.78); verbal persuasion by peers had a mean of M = 6.73 (SD = 2.80). Each of these sources correlated with moderately with teachers’ perceived increase in their resilience, optimism, and hope. In their qualitative responses, teachers connected their growth and sense of agency to the scaffolded experiences in the program as well as the supportive engagement they experienced from peers.

Scholarly Significance. Findings from this study suggest that interactive, well-scaffolded PD within a community of practice can provide a variety of sources for self-efficacy development for creative teaching. Links between that creative self-efficacy and teacher well-being suggest this is an area of teacher development that needs more attention.

Authors

• Ross C. Anderson, Creative Engagement Lab

• Zorana Ivcevic Pringle, Yale University

• Aleksandra Zielinska, University of Wroclaw

• Presence O'Neal, University of Oregon