Collective Efficacy

The Impact of Staff Development on Practice

Training Component
Presentation of Theory
Modeling Awareness of Concept Skill Attainment Classroom Application

85%
85% 85%

15%
18% 80%

5-10%
5-10% 10-15%

Practice & Low Risk Feedback

Study Teams Peer Visitation

90%

90%

80-90%

Adapted from research of Bruce Joyce & printed in the NSDC Standards for Staff Development.

Self-Efficacy

What is it?
Self-efficacy is the belief in ones capabilities to organize and execute the sources of action required to manage prospective situations.
Bandura, 1986

Efficacy Research

Attempts to discover how beliefs about effectiveness affect actual performance

And what researchers have learned is powerful!

Why is efficacy important?

Efficacy beliefs determine
whether thinking is erratic or strategic optimistic or pessimistic what courses of action people choose goals people set and commitment to them how much effort they put forth their expectations of success perseverance in the face of obstacles and failure their resilience to adversity how much stress and depression they experience AND the accomplishments they realize

In other words, it is the psychological research that proves -

Perception IS reality

OR

Whether you believe you can do a thing or nor, you are right. - Henry Ford

Collective Teacher Efficacy

What is it?
Collective efficacy in a school is the perceptions of teachers that the faculty as a whole can execute courses of action required to positively affect student achievement

in other words, the school sees itself as an effective agent of change.

What does research tell us about its impact on student achievement?

student achievement is significantly and positively related to collective efficacy collective efficacy has a greater effect on student achievement than does student socioeconomic status one unit increase in a schools collective teacher efficacy scale score is associated with 8.62 point average gain in student mathematics achievement 8.49 point average gain in reading achievement

...collective efficacy is the key organizational variable in facilitating student achievementit will have the strongest independent influence on achievement.
Smith, Hoy, & Sweetland, 2001

What does research tell us about why high efficacy improves student achievement?
When collective efficacy is high, teachers in a school believe they can reach their students and that they can overcome negative external forces are more persistent in their efforts plan more accept personal responsibility for student achievement are not discouraged by temporary setbacks

What does research tell us about why high efficacy improves student achievement?
efficacious schools are more likely to accept challenging goals demonstrate stronger effort persist in efforts to overcome difficulties and succeed Weak collective efficacy is likely to lead to reduced effort propensity to give up when things get tough

there is strong reason to lead schools in a direction that will systematically develop teacher efficacy; such efforts may indeed be rewarded with continuous growth in not only collective teacher efficacy but also student achievement.
Goddard, Hoy, & Woolfolk Hoy, 2000

What does research tell us about what improves efficacy?

once established, the collective efficacy of a school is a relatively stable property that requires substantial effort to change.

Four kinds of experiences impact efficacy beliefs

Mastery experience Vicarious experience Social Persuasion Emotional arousal/affective state

What does research tell leaders about how to improve efficacy?

Mastery experience
create situations in which teachers can succeed with students action research projects

Vicarious experience
role models to demonstrate how skills are applied to achieve successful outcomes discussions with colleagues about success - what works

What does research tell leaders about how to improve efficacy?

Teachers can be changed by
Talks Workshops professional development feedback about progress and achievement.

Verbal persuasion alone is not potent - requires

positive direct experience models of success then can and does influence efficacy beliefs.

What does research tell leaders about how to improve efficacy?

Organizational Affective State
Efficacious schools tolerate
pressure conflicts functioning effectively

Behavior of school leaders key influence either positive or negative

calm leadership in conflict
limits misinterpretation of events over- or under-reaction.

These conclusions are powerful ones that offer great hope to schools struggling to increase student achievement and overcome the association between socioeconomic status and achievement.
Goddard, Hoy, & Woolfolk Hoy, 2000