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Schools closed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic with the expectation that learning continue from home. This presented a unique challenge for parents of children with special educational needs as during this time levels of stress were high and access to supports were low. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore and describe parents of children with SEN's experiences with at-home learning as it relates to their learning-specific parental self-efficacy, perceived stress and perceived support from their child’s school. Quantitative analysis revealed that learning-specific PSE was significantly and negatively related to perceived stress. Parents did not differ in their perception of school supports. While qualitative analysis revealed many similarities between groups, it also revealed nuanced differences that show that parents of high and low PSE experienced the school closures differently. Overall, the findings of this study provide evidence that parents with high and low parental self-efficacy differ in their experiences of supporting the learning of their children with SEN. This study serves to add to the limited body of literature on learning-specific PSE, as well as inform the efforts of schools and other professionals in supporting the parents of children with SEN and their families.

Self-efficacy is theorized to represent our ability, capability, or capacity to accomplish particular tasks. One’s belief in that ability (self-efficacy belief) has been identified as the greatest predictor of successful performance and is influenced by four primary sources (enactive mastery experience, vicarious experience, verbal/social persuasion, physiological and affective states), in addition to personal and contextual influences. However, the development of accurate self-perceptions may be particularly challenging for the collegiate vocalist. In the development of singing technique—where self-assessment is complicated by the corporal nature of the vocal instrument—Bandura’s (1997) sources of self-efficacy provide a framework whereby assessment of ability and capability may become more tangible. The aim of the present study, therefore, was to investigate how collegiate vocal students’ beliefs in their vocal performance abilities may be influenced by the four self-efficacy sources and personal/contextual factors. I distributed the Vocal Performance Self-Efficacy Survey (adapted from Zelenak, 2011) to 46 voice majors at a private university in the western United States. Nine interview participants, who represented diversity of performance beliefs, were subsequently selected from the survey participant pool. Interview participants completed an initial interview based on a priori themes (four sources of self-efficacy); and a follow-up interview, which explored contextual factors (i.e., student/teacher relationship, environment, cognitive self-regulation, practice habits, and gender). In addition, participants documented three experiences—in a voice lesson, practice session, and performance—that fostered or hindered their performance belief. Vocal students in this study described how they progressed in self-belief by moving from a reliance on external assessments of ability to a reliance on self-appraisal as they (a) developed their technique through practice, studio learning, and performance (enactive mastery experience); (b) watched coping and master models (vicarious experience); (c) received feedback (verbal/social persuasion); (d) knew and felt physically when they were singing freely (physiological and affective states); and (e) learned to exercise agency (cognitive self-regulation). A particularly important finding from this study was the common and consistent reliance singers placed on physiological and affective states. Eight of nine interview participants responded that, of all the self-efficacy sources, physiological and affective states most affected their performance belief. Interview data indicate the importance of nurturing vocal students’ performance beliefs through utilizing the four sources of self-efficacy, fostering qualities of persistence and resilience, facilitating cognitive self-regulation, working toward productive student/teacher relationships, and creating safe learning and performance environments.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of class type, coeducational or same-sex, on the self-efficacy of middle school girls in a unit of volleyball. Four intact certified physical education specialists from two Middle Schools were used in the study. All of the teachers were female. In two of the classes, students were split out according to gender with males being taught by one instructor and the females being taught by the other instructor. For the coeducational classes, the students were randomly assigned to either of the teachers, with boys and girls evenly divided between the two classes. Essentially two new classes were created at each school. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used for the study. Two questionnaires were administered to the students. Analysis of data from the questionnaire showed the student variables that were measured quantitatively for determining girls' self-efficacy for learning volleyball were found to be significant at the 05 level, favoring girls in single-sex environments. Data from the post-intervention questionnaire and student and teacher interviews were analyzed to provide insight into student preferences for these contexts. It is concluded from the qualitative data that single-sex classes have a more supportive learning environment, and have better conduct than coeducational classes. / Ed. D.

Professional development is ubiquitous in education, with over 90% of teachers engaging in professional development activities, yet often with limited perceived impact on their practice. This dissertation situates itself at the critical juncture of professional development quality and teacher self-efficacy, investigating the transformative influence of the Academy of Blended Learning professional development program on educators’ self-efficacy and pedagogical practices. Despite widespread participation in professional development nationally, the prevalent sentiment among teachers points to a disconnect, with many sessions deemed ineffectual (Wei et al., 2009). Conversely, professional development perceived as high-quality correlates with improved teacher skills and classroom practices (Desimone et al., 2002; Garet et al., 2001a), underscoring the need for meaningful PD delivery. Blended learning represents a significant advancement in the evolving education landscape, blending traditional and digital instruction methods. This dissertation examines the impact of the Academy of Blended Learning experiential professional development program on teacher self-efficacy. Through qualitative analysis and evaluation, this study employs a framework by Smith and Robinson (2020) that intertwines Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory (1977), Bruner’s Constructivist Theory (1960), and Knowles’ Adult Learning Theory (andragogy) (1978), offering a comprehensive lens to examine the efficacy of professional development for educators. These theoretical underpinnings serve as the foundation for understanding how professional development influences teachers as adult learners, ultimately affecting their self-efficacy. Participants in the Academy of Blended Learning professional development program reported substantial gains in skills and a marked increase in self-efficacy, attributing these advancements to the comprehensive and experiential nature of the program. It goes beyond mere tool provision; it reshapes educators’ self-concepts, fueling their enthusiasm and intentionality in teaching. This transformative experience has empowered teachers and enhanced their ability to meet their students’ diverse needs, leading to a positive shift in their professional practice and trajectory. The study underscores the necessity of placing teacher self-efficacy at the forefront of professional development initiatives, particularly within blended learning. The findings advocate for educational leaders to recognize and support quality professional development that cultivates the attitudes and competencies necessary for teachers to thrive. The compelling evidence of professional growth and increased self-efficacy among participants signals the essential role of tailored professional development programs like the Academy of Blended Learning in shaping the future of education.

Syftet med studien var att undersöka föräldraförmågans (parental self-efficacy) dimensioner i förhållande till den självupplevda föräldrabarnrelationen. Undersökningen genomfördes som en tvärsnittsstudie av kvantitativ design med 151 deltagare. Deltagarna rekryterades på sociala medier och besvarade en digital enkät. För att analysera data användes det statistiska programmet SPSS. Dataanalys visade att samtliga dimensioner av föräldraförmågan i mätinstrumentet TOPSE korrelerade positivt med responsvariabeln föräldrabarnrelationen. Det innebär att ju högre den subjektivt upplevda föräldraförmågan är, desto bättre relation upplever föräldrarna till sina barn. Empati och förståelse var den starkaste prediktorn av föräldrabarnrelationen följt av kontroll, känslor och tillgivenhet samt social press. Denna studie visar att den subjektivt upplevda föräldraförmågan, mätt genom de åtta dimensionerna av TOPSE-mätinstrumentet, är en viktig prediktor för den självupplevda föräldrabarnrelationen. / This study examines the relationship between dimensions of parental self-efficacy in relation to the subjectively perceived parent-child relationship. The survey was conducted as a cross-sectional study of quantitative design with 151 participants, parents of children 0-6 years. Participants were recruited on social media and answered a digital survey. The statistical program SPSS was used to analyze the data. Dataanalysis showed that all eight dimensions in the parental self-efficacy measuring instrument TOPSE correlated positively with the response variable parent-childrelationship. This means that the higher the self-perceived parental self-efficacy is, the better relationship parents experience with their children. Empathy and understanding were the strongest predictors, followed by control, emotion and affection, and social pressure. This study shows that parental self-efficacy, measured through the eight dimensions of the TOPSE measuring instrument, is an important predictor of the subjectively experienced parent-child relationship.

Bandura har postulerat fyra källor till akademisk self-efficacy vilka samtliga antas vara tämligen formbara. I tidigare studier har endast en viss del av variansen i akademisk self-efficacy kunnat förklaras genom dessa källor vilket föranleder fog till ytterligare forskning. Tidigare genomförda undersökningar som är indikerade att personlighet har ett samband med akademisk self-efficacy, men området är relativt bristfälligt studerat. Denna studie syftar till att studera Banduras föreslagna källor samt personlighet i enlighet med femfaktorteorins relation till akademisk self-efficacy. Studien utfördes genom en enkätundersökning, där 131 studenter besvarade frågor gällande Banduras föreslagna källor till akademisk self-efficacy, personlighet samt upplevd akademisk self-efficacy. Samtliga variabler i studien mättes med väletablerade instrument. En linjär multipel hierarkisk regressionsanalys utfördes och resultat bekräftar delvis Banduras teori. Dessutom påvisas att extraversion betydande predicerar akademisk self-efficacy. Således har teoribildning angående källor till self-efficacy utvecklats, vilket bland annat kan bidra till beslut om att inrikta fortsatt forskning inom området bör anta.

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