Evaluation of Leadership Styles and Teachers' Self-Efficacy Among a Cohort of Chemistry and Physics Teachers
Disciplines
Science and Mathematics Education
Abstract (300 words maximum)
The statistics regarding the rate at which new science teacher leave the profession are grim. Therefore, it is important to develop an understanding of factors that may contribute to teacher retention. It is hypothesized that two such factors are teacher self-efficacy and teacher leadership. This presentation will present the results from a five-year longitudinal study that seeks to explore how these two factors develop among new teachers. To accomplish this goal, two quantitative measures were utilized: the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) and the Teachers’ Efficacy Beliefs System – Self (TEBS-Self). The results from each instrument have been triangulated with qualitative data collected in the form of the teachers resumes and interviews with the teachers. An overall increase in all areas of both the MLQ and the TEBS-Self instruments were observed over this five-year period. These results have been shown to further relate to the degree to which the participant have been active in their local school and broader science education community.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
CSM - Chemistry and Biochemistry
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Michelle L. Head
Evaluation of Leadership Styles and Teachers' Self-Efficacy Among a Cohort of Chemistry and Physics Teachers
The statistics regarding the rate at which new science teacher leave the profession are grim. Therefore, it is important to develop an understanding of factors that may contribute to teacher retention. It is hypothesized that two such factors are teacher self-efficacy and teacher leadership. This presentation will present the results from a five-year longitudinal study that seeks to explore how these two factors develop among new teachers. To accomplish this goal, two quantitative measures were utilized: the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) and the Teachers’ Efficacy Beliefs System – Self (TEBS-Self). The results from each instrument have been triangulated with qualitative data collected in the form of the teachers resumes and interviews with the teachers. An overall increase in all areas of both the MLQ and the TEBS-Self instruments were observed over this five-year period. These results have been shown to further relate to the degree to which the participant have been active in their local school and broader science education community.