A longitudinal study was conducted to investigate the relationship between
teachers perceptions of leadership capabilities and teachers efficacy beliefs in the
context of their participation in a technology integration project. Participants included
seventeen elementary school teachers and seven administrators in a school district
located in the southwestern United States. Qualitative and quantitative methodologies
were utilized over the course of the three and a half year project.
BanduraÂs (1997) social cognitive theory served as the framework for defining
self-efficacy and explaining the potential influences of empowerment on teacher
efficacy. Since the goal was to understand and describe the relationship between
participation in the district project and the teachers efficacy beliefs, a qualitative
research approach was chosen. Descriptive information related to teachers experiences
and perceptions were gathered through observations of team meetings and interviews
with teachers and administrators. All of the notes from the interviews and observations
were transcribed using the constant comparative method of qualitative data analysis.
Quantitative analyses were conducted to investigate the fluctuation of teacher efficacy
over the course of the project. Teacher efficacy was measured at three points: prior to
participation, at the end of the planning stage and after implementation of the technology
in the classrooms.
Qualitative results indicated that participation in the technology integration
project did not have a positive effect on teachers perceptions of their leadership
capabilities. Interview data included multiple reports of teachers negative feelings of
empowerment and leadership opportunities. Four of the seven administrators supported
the teachers position that leadership was not developed. Three of the administrators felt
that leadership was developed but no support was provided for their assertion.
Quantitative results found no statistical difference in general teaching
efficacy. An increase in personal teaching efficacy was evident between the second and
third administrations of the TES. The qualitative data provided an explanation for this
increase. The qualitative data revealed that the addition of new technology tools allowed
these teachers to develop new teaching methods. This in turn allowed the TIP teachers to
reach more students which led to an increase in personal teacher efficacy.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:tamu.edu/oai:repository.tamu.edu:1969.1/3121 |
| Date | 12 April 2006 |
| Creators | Rackley, Robin Ann |
| Contributors | Knight, Stephanie L. |
| Publisher | Texas A&M University |
| Source Sets | Texas A and M University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Book, Thesis, Electronic Dissertation, text |
| Format | 6362496 bytes, electronic, application/pdf, born digital |
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