Recent research examining collective efficacy beliefs has generated a plethora of promising findings about their impact on group functioning. However, questions regarding the nature of collective efficacy beliefs across diverse educational organizations and theoretical constructs are understudied in this area of research. Therefore, the current study examines the relationship between collective efficacy beliefs and building group capacity. Self-reported data were collected from participants involved in a 10-month collaborative effort to enhance their proficiency in giving more effective presentations in order to strengthen their divisions’ capacity to improve educational achievement in schools. This top-down approach to building capacity is common, yet challenging to develop and evaluate, especially for organizations consisting of multiple infrastructures. Research findings using separate simple linear regression analyses suggest that perceived collective efficacy highly predicts group capacity, as it accounted for nearly 76% of the variance in self-reported group capacity. In addition, vicarious experience was shown to highly predict collective efficacy beliefs and group capacity. Likewise, perceived autonomy support strongly predicted group capacity, however did not significantly predict collective efficacy beliefs, which has been implied in the recent literature (Goddard, Hoy & Woolfolk Hoy, 2004; Brinson & Steiner, 2007). These findings provide a foundation for future collective efficacy belief research and capacity building efforts in the nonprofit education sector. / text

The current research utilised a modified cyclical model of tracking teachers' efficacy beliefs from their source through to their implementation in teaching strategies. Key inclusions to the model were four factors (personal efficacy, teaching efficacy, classroom management efficacy and outcome efficacy) of teacher efficacy and four contextual considerations (culture load, learning load, language load and cognitive load) in relation to teaching students who have ESL. Data were collected through three studies, ultilising both qualitative methodologies (focus groups, hypothetical teaching scenarios) and a quantitative methodology (researcher-generated survey). Results revealed a two-factor model of teacher efficacy (not a four-factor model) with the two factors being personal efficacy (general teaching abilities) and teaching efficacy (overcoming environmental factors such as home life). Culture load and language load were significant contextual considerations given to teaching students who have ESL. Results of the research suggested that specific teacher training needs to focus on how to adapt curriculum to meet the needs of a diverse group of learners, emphasising in particular why chosen strategies should be used. More training is needed which involves learning how to include parents and other community members as valuable resources in the learning processes of the classroom.