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Teacher efficacy in primary schools : a survey of three selected schools in the Western Cape, South Africa

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 84-90).

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Main Author: Daniels, Sandra V
Other Authors: Gilmour, David
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: School of Education 2015
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access_status_str Open Access
author Daniels, Sandra V
author2 Gilmour, David
author_browse Daniels, Sandra V
Gilmour, David
author_facet Gilmour, David
Daniels, Sandra V
author_sort Daniels, Sandra V
collection Thesis
description Includes bibliographical references (leaves 84-90).
format Thesis
id oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/14620
institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:33:51.607Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2015
publishDateRange 2015
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publisher School of Education
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source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/14620 Teacher efficacy in primary schools : a survey of three selected schools in the Western Cape, South Africa Daniels, Sandra V Gilmour, David Education Includes bibliographical references (leaves 84-90). This study investigates the concept of teacher efficacy which has its origin in Bandura's (1977) self efficacy theory, which is examined in his social cognitive theory. Teacher efficacy beliefs (individual) which are hypothesized as the "beliefs in one's capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to produce given attainments" (Bandura, 1997:3) with the different dimensions which underpin this concept are examined. Since this study also wanted to establish the efficacy levels of the schools as a unit, the concept of collective efficacy was explored. The purpose of this research is two-fold. Firstly, the aim is to construct a better understanding of the conceptual underpinnings of teacher efficacy, and secondly, it aims to measure and compare teachers' levels of efficacy in three selected schools. The selection of these schools for this study was based on the results these schools obtained in the Literacy and Numeracy Systemic Evaluations conducted by the Provincial and National Departments of Education. The rationale is to determine whether or not a relation exists between teachers' levels of efficacy, and by extension whether or not it influences what they do in their classrooms and their learners' achievements. Tschannen-Moran et al's (1998) original 31-item instrument probing the aspects of teacher efficacy was used to measure (individual) teacher efficacy, and Tschannen- Moran and Ban's (2004) instrument, The Collective Teacher Belief Scale, was used to measure and determine the schools' collective sense of efficacy. The research showed a relationship between teachers' levels of efficacy, what they do in their classrooms and their schools and by extension their learners' achievement. Although the causal mechanism of this relationship was not established, nor was it part of the study, the research confirms that even though teachers' sense of efficacy is not necessarily homogeneous across the various types of tasks they are asked to perform, each of the aspects of teacher efficacy is positively related to teachers' levels of confidence about their capabilities at each of the three schools. At the schools where teachers seem to be positively inclined and more efficacious, the results are better, while the converse is applicable at the school where the propensity towards negativity is more prevalent. What is also clear is that the beliefs teachers have about their abilities (teacher self efficacy), influences their persistence when things do not go smoothly, and that ultimately this affects the learners. 2015-11-02T10:59:41Z 2015-11-02T10:59:41Z 2010 Master Thesis Masters MEd http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14620 eng application/pdf School of Education Faculty of Humanities University of Cape Town
spellingShingle Education
Daniels, Sandra V
Teacher efficacy in primary schools : a survey of three selected schools in the Western Cape, South Africa
thesis_degree_str Master's
title Teacher efficacy in primary schools : a survey of three selected schools in the Western Cape, South Africa
title_full Teacher efficacy in primary schools : a survey of three selected schools in the Western Cape, South Africa
title_fullStr Teacher efficacy in primary schools : a survey of three selected schools in the Western Cape, South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Teacher efficacy in primary schools : a survey of three selected schools in the Western Cape, South Africa
title_short Teacher efficacy in primary schools : a survey of three selected schools in the Western Cape, South Africa
title_sort teacher efficacy in primary schools a survey of three selected schools in the western cape south africa
topic Education
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14620
work_keys_str_mv AT danielssandrav teacherefficacyinprimaryschoolsasurveyofthreeselectedschoolsinthewesterncapesouthafrica