Satty, Robin
(2019)
Impact of Professional Development for Science Teachers on Efficacy and Autonomy.
Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.
(Unpublished)
Abstract
There has been significant media attention granted to teacher shortages in the past few decades, especially in the field of science teaching. These shortages have been linked to decreased student learning and performance. A significant cause of these shortages is high teacher turnover. The converse of turnover, retention, has been linked to professional development opportunities both directly and indirectly. Professional development may have the capacity to impact retention indirectly by supporting teachers’ beliefs of self-efficacy and collective efficacy, as well as their perceptions of professional autonomy, all factors that have been separately linked to teacher retention. This study investigates the professional development opportunities available to teachers in a suburban science department, and how those teachers believe the programs impact their efficacy and autonomy.
The study was conducted within the secondary science department in a large suburban school district. Four teachers and two administrators were interviewed in group and individual settings. Qualitative analysis of interview transcripts explored the relationship between professional development opportunities available to teachers within this department, and teachers’ beliefs of efficacy and perceptions of autonomy.
Findings indicated that teachers had access to professional development programs that improved their beliefs of efficacy and perceptions of autonomy. Data suggested ways in which the programs did so, as well as how these teachers and administrators felt the programs could support efficacy and autonomy more. The data also showed that teacher reflection and collaboration can support their beliefs of efficacy. The findings are consistent with the literature relating to these themes and provide additional insight into the impacts of the professional development opportunities available within the department studied.
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Details
| Item Type: |
University of Pittsburgh ETD
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| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
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| ETD Committee: |
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| Date: |
16 December 2019 |
| Date Type: |
Publication |
| Defense Date: |
3 October 2019 |
| Approval Date: |
16 December 2019 |
| Submission Date: |
29 November 2019 |
| Access Restriction: |
No restriction; Release the ETD for access worldwide immediately. |
| Number of Pages: |
116 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
School of Education > Instruction and Learning |
| Degree: |
EdD - Doctor of Education |
| Thesis Type: |
Doctoral Dissertation |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
Self-efficacy
Science teacher
collective efficacy
professional autonomy
Professional development |
| Date Deposited: |
16 Dec 2019 14:50 |
| Last Modified: |
16 Dec 2019 14:50 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/37908 |
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