Poster #85 - The impact of beliefs: Exploring self-efficacy and adult roles on the classroom environment

• In Event: 2-110 - Poster Session 07
  In Poster Session: PS 07 Section - Education, Schooling

Integrative Statement

Teacher’s self-efficacy has significant influences on their behavior and actions inside the classroom (e.g., classroom management strategies associated with child development; Goddard, 2001; Bandura, 1989). In addition, research suggests that the parent-teacher relationship may play a mediating role in children’s social-behavioral functioning (Kim et al., 2013). Parents’ beliefs have been highlighted as a motivator of their involvement in children’s education (Hoover-Dempsey et al., 1992). Similarly, teachers’ beliefs about children’s learning and the role they play in the process influences teacher-child interactions (Maxwell et al., 2001). Therefore, as part of a larger study, preliminary data were collected from a subset of preschool teachers about their self-efficacy and the quality of the classroom environment and from parents and teachers about their beliefs about the role they play in children’s peer relationships.
Fourteen preschool teachers completed Bandura’s Teacher Self-Efficacy measure (TSE; Bandura, 2006) and the Teacher Beliefs on Peer Relationship questionnaire (TBPR; Wright & Colwell, 2015), and researchers completed the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale – 3 (ECERS -3; Harms, Clifford & Cryer, 2014) in each classroom. On average the preschool teachers were 35.73 years of age, had a bachelor’s degree, and a little over 7 years of teaching experience. Preliminary data were collected from nine parents of preschoolers who completed a modified version of the TBPR.
Results showed that TSE was significantly correlated with the interaction subscale (r = .57, p <.05) and the language and literacy subscale (r = .54, p <.05) from the ECERS - 3 . Teachers’ instructional self-efficacy was most significantly correlated with interactions (r = .54, p <.05), language and literacy (r = .58, p <.05), and learning activities (r = .56, p <.05) subscale scores. Linear regressions showed that instructional self-efficacy is significantly associated with the quality of interactions (R2 =.29, F (1, 12) = 4.83, p < .05), language and literacy (R2 =.34, F (1, 12) = 6.19, p < .05), and learning activities (R2 =.31, F (1, 12) = 5.39 p < .05) in the classroom environment. These results suggest the more instructional self-efficacy teachers have, the higher quality of classroom interactions and activities. Preliminary analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between parent and teacher beliefs about the role they play in children’s peer relationships. An independent t-test found that there was no significant difference between parent and teacher scores (t (21) = .459. p = .651). However, these non-significant results may suggest that both parents and teachers view their role as important in children’s peer relationships.
Potential impacts from these findings can be applied to teacher education and focus for improving classroom quality through instructional self-efficacy. Additionally, findings about parent and teacher beliefs may help educators focus on this relationship as a way to support children’s peer relationships inside and outside of the classroom. Because of the important role of teacher and parent beliefs on children’s development, this study further explores the ways that the beliefs adults hold (i.e., self-efficacy, beliefs about their roles) may indirectly impact children’s development.

Authors

• Holly Wright, Texas Tech University
  Presenting Author

• Malinda Colwell, Texas Tech University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Leslie Hasty, Texas Tech University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Rachel Correale, Texas Tech University
  Non-Presenting Author