The purpose of this mixed-methods study is to identify the primary factors that directly affect teacher efficacy within the classroom in the area of reading for teachers in grades kindergarten through 5. This study examined the role of the administrative team in shaping the teacher’s pedagogy and skill level, as well as identified the implications for leaders. Data gathered to inform the research were derived from teacher surveys, focus groups, and teacher observations. The research examined the relationship between the classroom teacher’s self-efficacy, professional development, instructional delivery, and instructional feedback within the school environment. The benefits of the research are to better understand the importance of instructional support, strategic professional development, and meaningful feedback in elementary education. Lastly, the benefit is to determine a correlation between the professional developer’s resources within the school/district professional training and its effect on the teacher’s instructional strategies.
This study took place in an urban school system in Georgia. The surveys, observations, interviews, and focus group were administered at two public elementary school located in Georgia. These schools were located in an urban community and were both Title 1 schools, in which 99% of the student population qualified for free or reduced lunch.
The researcher studied the impact that teacher’s efficacy has on the delivery of the Reading Common Core Standards. During the research, the researcher conducted a focus group and further explored the teacher’s perceptions towards their instructional support, professional development, and meaningful feedback. According to Bandura’s (1994) Self-Efficacy Theory, a teacher’s attitude, ability, and cognitive skills comprise what is known as the self-system. The independent variables affect the results are instructional support from administration, teacher feedback, resources, professional development, age, experience and the dependent factor is teacher efficacy in the delivery of Reading Common Core Georgia Performance Standards. In Bandura’s (1994) study, the self-system refers to the behaviors, reactions, and actions concerning the instructional practices and pedagogy of the teacher.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:auctr.edu/oai:digitalcommons.auctr.edu:cauetds-1052 |
| Date | 18 May 2015 |
| Creators | Harris, Towanda L. |
| Publisher | DigitalCommons@Robert W. Woodruff Library, Atlanta University Center |
| Source Sets | Atlanta University Center |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Electronic Theses & Dissertations Collection for Atlanta University & Clark Atlanta University |
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