Much attention, both nationally and internationally, has been given to mathematics teaching and student mathematical performance (e.g. No Child Left Behind Act (2001), National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (1991, 2000) standards, Common Core State Standards Initiative, Trend in International Mathematics and Science Study (2013), and Program of International Student Assessment PISA (2013)). Teachers of mathematics have come under greater scrutiny and demands for student success have been placed upon them. Research has shown that teacher efficacy and mathematics teaching efficacy, forms of self-efficacy beliefs (Bandura, 1977, 1997), can have a positive impact on teaching and learning. Yet, there has been limited research on the mathematics teacher efficacy of preservice elementary teachers (Swars, 2005). This study examined the impact of the student teaching experience on the mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs of preservice elementary teachers. What happens to the level of mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs of preservice teachers during the student teaching experience? What are the characteristics of preservice teachers with low and high levels of efficacy beliefs? What factors from the student teaching experience influenced efficacy beliefs? A qualitative case study (Merriam, 2009) with an embedded survey was used to address the previous questions. The results of this study demonstrate that mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs of preservice teachers rose significantly during the student teaching experience. However, the change was not uniform. Personal mathematics teaching efficacy (PMTE) increased significantly. Although mathematics teaching outcome expectancy (MTOE) increased, it was not significant. Furthermore, the research indicates four characteristics influenced mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs: attitude toward mathematics, use of manipulatives, motivation to teach, and persistence. Four factors appear to impact the development of efficacy beliefs of preservice teachers: prior experiment with mathematics, student teaching experience, relationship with cooperating teacher, and students served by the preservice teachers.

The current study was conducted to examine the effects of telephone intervention on arthritis self-efficacy, depression, pain and fatigue in older adult patients in different clinical settings. Eighty-five subjects from two clinics were randomly assigned to either the control (n = 45) or intervention (n = 40) groups. The study was a mixed quantitative/qualitative design. Each subject completed several pre-tests including the Arthritis Self-Efficacy (ASE) scale, the Geriatric Depression scale (GDS), and numeric rating scales for both pain and fatigue. All subjects received an informational packet on self-management of arthritis and developed an action plan and personal goals for self-management of their arthritis over the next six weeks. Subjects in the intervention groups also received a brief educational session on the packet and were called once weekly for the next five weeks. The calls followed a script, addressing different sections of the informational packet. The calls were designed to be both instructional and motivational. Subjects in the control groups were not contacted until the sixth week. At that time all subjects were called and the assessment tools were re-administered. Quantitative data analysis (repeated measures ANOVA) showed a significant increase in ASE scores over time for both intervention and control groups. Qualitative data analysis revealed the emergence of several major themes that were supported by the subjects' responses. The telephone interventions helped many of the participants initiate exercise programs for the first time in their lives. Participants also indicated that they were determined to adhere to these programs, that they would make other lifestyle changes that would assist their arthritis self-management, and that the telephone interventions were helpful in facilitating medical care for arthritis exacerbations and other medical problems. Telephone intervention was helpful in promoting adherence to exercise programs and other lifestyle changes that may assist older patients in the self-management of their arthritis, and was helpful in facilitating medical care. Arthritis education classes have been developed which have been shown to enhance the self-management of arthritis in older patients. Telephone intervention may be an alternative means of enhancing self-management for these individuals.

En kvantitativ enkätstudie genomfördes med syftet att undersöka om självdisciplin, yrkesrelaterad kognitiv self-efficacy och yrkesrelaterad social self-efficacy kan predicera motivation på arbetsplatsen. Därtill kontrollerades deltagarnas kön, ålder och utbildningsnivå. Deltagarna rekryterades genom kontaktpersoner på tre olika företag i södra Sverige. Totala deltagarantalet blev 40 personer. Studien innefattade två hypoteser som testades genom en multipel regression, korrelationsanalys samt en envägsanova. Hypotes 1 var följande: Social och kognitiv self-efficacy samt självdisciplin är prediktorer till motivation på arbetsplatsen. Hypotes 2 var: Det finns en korrelation mellan kön, ålder eller utbildningsnivå och motivation på arbetsplatsen. Regressionsanalysen visade ett signifikant resultat och att självdisciplin är en valid prediktor till motivation på arbetsplatsen. Ingen annan variabel visade ett signifikant resultat i de olika statistiska testerna. Detta diskuteras vidare då resultatet delvis stödjer tidigare forskning och teorier. Efter metodologiska övervägande och slutsatser kan resultatet inte generaliseras till övriga populationen (arbetare) i Sverige utan härleds endast till deltagarna som utgör urvalet i denna studie. / A quantitative survey was conducted with the purpose to investigate if selfdiscipline, occupational cognitive self-efficacy and occupational social selfefficacy can predict motivation at work. The participants age, gender and education level were also controlled. The participants were recruited through contacts at three different companies in southern Sweden. The number of participants were 40. The study had two hypothesis that was tested through a multiple regression, correlation analysis and a one-way anova. Hypothesis 1 was: Social and cognitive self-efficacy as well as self-discipline are predictors of motivation in the workplace. Hypothesis 2 was: There is a correlation between gender, age or level of education and motivation in the workplace. The regression analysis showed a significant result and self-discipline as a valid predictor to motivation at work. The other variables did not show a significant result. It leaded to a discussion due to that the result partly supports previous research and theories. After methodological considerations and conclusions, the result cannot be generalised to the population (company workers) in Sweden, it can only derive to the participants in the sample of this study.

In 2011, 5 million Americans had dementia and this number is predicted to increase. As the number of people with dementia increases, the need for quality nursing care, education, and treatment for patients with dementia increases. To address the need, nurses not only must be prepared with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to care for patients with dementia, but they must also have the self-efficacy to provide quality care. The practice focused question guiding the project was to determine the level of self-efficacy for caring for dementia patients among long-term care nursing staff. Using Bandura's social cognitive theory, the purpose of this project was to gain information about the self-efficacy of nurses caring for dementia patients at one long-term care facility. Forty nurse participants each completed the 25-item, 5-point Likert scale Self-Efficacy in Dementia Care Survey. The quantitative data were descriptively analyzed to identify nursing training needed for tasks related to dementia patient care. Administrating medications, providing early management information, educating patient families, maneuvering the environment, and influencing the emotional response of patients were areas of knowledge and skill deficit for nurse participants. Findings from the project will be used to guide education and training to improve nurse self-efficacy in working with dementia patients. When nurses in long-term care facilities enhance their skills and knowledge, they may be able to provide better care to dementia patients, therefore promoting social change.

Thesis (M. Ed.(Educational psychology))-University of Pretoria, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

This investigation of teachers computer use prompted by a 1999 Provincial Assessment finding that students were performing below Provincial expectations in use of the World Wide Web / Internet and identification of teachers as students greatest source of computer knowledge. It was found that the majority of teachers have the necessary knowledge and skills to use computers in the classroom, but teachers predominantly used computers for personal and general purposes. It was also found that teachers represent a large source of influence on their colleagues computer knowledge and skills. This influence, defined through the construct of collective efficacy, was found to differ between schools with higher and lower levels of collective efficacy in their perceptions of the image portrayed by using the World Wide Web / Internet in the classroom. Teachers in schools with high and median levels of collective efficacy were found to differ significantly from teachers in schools with lower levels of collective efficacy in the potential status a teacher may obtain within their school from using the World Wide Web / Internet. <p>Additionally this study offers support for Venkatesh and Davis (2000) theoretical proposition that the image construct is less susceptible to the influence of experience an individual may have with a particular computer application. However due to small sample size of this study these results must be interpreted cautiously.

Genom att få personal och grupper att agera proaktivt i så kallade slimmade organisationer (Lean Production) kan risk för likriktning och stagnation motverkas trots hård effektivisering. Låg grad av samhörighet i grupper har i studier konstaterats försvaga proaktivitet, medan ledarskapsstilar såsom delaktigt och transformativt ledarskap tycks stärka samhörigheten och proaktiviteten. Innevarande studie ämnade pröva sambanden på lägre hierarkisk nivå mellan proaktivitet och ledarskapsstilar, proaktivitet och gruppens kollektiva tilltro till förmåga, genom Banduras begrepp ”Collective efficacy”, och den samlade effekten på proaktivitet genom ledarskapsstil och gruppens tilltro på sin kollektiva förmåga. 411 deltagare i ett större företag inom fordonsbranschen skattade sin ledares stil och sin grupp varefter utvalda index reliabilitetstestades och aggregerades till gruppnivå. Resultatet visade att både ledarskapsstil och gruppens tilltro till sin kollektiva förmåga bidrog signifikant till proaktivitet på gruppnivå, men att det delaktiga ledarskapet endast hade en ytterst svag och varierande effekt, vilket visar problematiken med delaktighet på lägre hierarkisk nivå. Ledarskapet visade sig ha en svagare effekt på proaktivitet än gruppens tilltro till sin kollektiva förmåga, vilket ger intressanta implikationer för framtida ledarskapsfrågor på låg hierarkisk nivå.

Kompetenstransfer handlar om att överföra sin kunskap och kompetensfrån en situation till en annan. Tidigare forskning har belyst transfer i en utbildningskontext men inte i en kontext av arbetsbyten. Syftet med studien var att se om variablerna: self-efficacy, karriärplanering, samt personlighetsdraget samvetsgrannhet har ett samband medkompetenstransfer i en kontext av omställning och byte av arbete. Studien genomfördes med hjälp av en webbaserad enkätundersökning och urvalet bestod av 62 personer som erhölls av ett omställningsföretag. Resultatet från en hierarkisk regressionsanalys visade att karriärplaneringsvariabeln karriärbyte hade ett signifikant samband med kompetenstransfer; personer som inte bytt bransch upplever mer kompetenstransfer än de som bytt bransch. Denna studie fann inte att variablerna samvetsgrannhet och self-efficacy var viktiga för kompetenstransfer vid arbetsbyten. Flera studier med ett större underlag behövs för att kunna dra mer pålitliga slutsatser huruvida dessa variabler spelar roll eller inte.

This investigation of teachers computer use prompted by a 1999 Provincial Assessment finding that students were performing below Provincial expectations in use of the World Wide Web / Internet and identification of teachers as students greatest source of computer knowledge. It was found that the majority of teachers have the necessary knowledge and skills to use computers in the classroom, but teachers predominantly used computers for personal and general purposes. It was also found that teachers represent a large source of influence on their colleagues computer knowledge and skills. This influence, defined through the construct of collective efficacy, was found to differ between schools with higher and lower levels of collective efficacy in their perceptions of the image portrayed by using the World Wide Web / Internet in the classroom. Teachers in schools with high and median levels of collective efficacy were found to differ significantly from teachers in schools with lower levels of collective efficacy in the potential status a teacher may obtain within their school from using the World Wide Web / Internet. <p>Additionally this study offers support for Venkatesh and Davis (2000) theoretical proposition that the image construct is less susceptible to the influence of experience an individual may have with a particular computer application. However due to small sample size of this study these results must be interpreted cautiously.

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