Sources of School Leaders’ Innovation-Related Self-Efficacy

• In Event: School Leadership for Innovation

Abstract

Purpose: Self-efficacy has been widely established as an important construct in educational research and can be defined as the belief that own capabilities are strong enough to reach a set goal (Bandura, 1977). To date, there is extensive research on self-efficacy of students (Bartimote-Aufflick et al., 2016) and teachers (e.g., Perera et al., 2019; Hajovsky et al., 2020). School leaders’ self-efficacy, which can be defined as the leaders’ beliefs in their own competence to induce change in their school (Fisher, 2020; Tschannen-Moran & Gareis, 2004), proves to be a predictor of student achievement (Leitwood & Jantzi, 2008) and organizational learning (Hesbol, 2019). To date, few findings exist on the sources and conductive factors that influence school leaders’ self-efficacy. Taking up this desideratum, the present study addresses the research question of what factors foster school leaders’ innovation-related self-efficacy.

Theoretical Framework: Bandura (1977) proposed that mastery experience, vicarious experience, social persuasions, and physical and emotional states are sources of self-efficacy, which has been widely researched and empirically proven (e.g., Pfitzner-Eden, 2016). We firstly hypothesize that mastery experience (here, perceived achievement), vicarious experience (here, mentors as role models), verbal persuasion (here, encouragement from mentors or colleagues), and emotional state (here, exhaustion) impact school leaders’ innovation-related self-efficacy (H1). Secondly, studies on factors which are included in professional training and development opportunities have indicated to influence school leaders’ self-efficacy positively (Anselmus et al., 2022; Fischer, 2020; Versland, 2016). Based on these findings, we hypothesize that also leadership-related professional development factors increase school leaders’ innovation-related self-efficacy (H2).

Methods: We used a representative sample of N = 405 school leaders in Germany collected by a professional survey provider in 2019. We measured school leaders’ innovation related self-efficacy using four items provided by Schmitz and Schwarzer (2002; ω = .811). Additionally, we surveyed the possible sources of self-efficacy mentioned by Bandura as well as completed qualifications programs and professional development activities with single items. Furthermore, we controlled for school leaders’ gender, migration background, professional experience, school size, and type.

Results: Specifying a structural equation model (Table 1), results show that perceived achievement and encouragement from team both have significant effects on innovation-related self-efficacy in school leaders, as well as exhaustion. Mentors as role model and encourager show no significant effects. Regarding school leaders’ professional development activities, analysis reveal a significant effect of participation in university trainings and courses and professional learning networks. Contrary to expectations, there are no significant effects of participating in leadership qualification programs, in-service trainings offered by the school administration, or other job-related learning opportunities.

Conclusion and implications: In summary, many of the sources postulated by Bandura (1997) as well as the conduciveness of professional learning for self-efficacy can be confirmed to some extent. However, it should be noted that the findings are solely based on cross-sectional analyses and therefore no causal statements can be made. The findings point to the open question of how mentoring relationships, leadership qualification programs, and in-service trainings can be made more conductive to school leaders’ self-efficacy development.

Authors

• Sebastian Röhl, University of Education - Freiburg

• Ida Malini Syvertsen, University of Tübingen

• Colin Cramer, University of Tuebingen