Relationship between Teacher's Self-efficacy for Classroom Management and their Empowerment

Abstract

In Switzerland, almost one teacher out of five leaves the profession within the first five years (OFS, 2022). One of the factors behind this phenomenon is the difficulties encountered by teachers in dealing with difficult pupils’ behaviour (Høigaard et al., 2012; Montague & Kwok, 2022). Thus, the development of good classroom management skills, particularly the ability to deal with difficult pupils’ behaviour in an educational manner, is an issue in teacher training (Gaudreau et al., 2012). However, this ability is linked to teachers' self-efficacy for classroom management (Gaudreau et al., 2015). Teacher effectiveness is notably impacted by empowerment, of which self-efficacy is one of the dimensions (Hemric et al., 2010). However, there seems to be little systematic research on the relations between the concepts of self-efficacy for classroom management and empowerment among trainee teachers. Thus, the problem lies in the lack of knowledge of the relation between self-efficacy in classroom management among student teachers and their empowerment. Empowerment can be defined as "[a] process by which a person or a community frees itself from a state of subjection, acquires the ability to use its full rights, and frees itself from a social, moral or intellectual dependency" (Maury & Hedjerassi, 2020, p.3). In relation to the educational sciences, it appears that teacher empowerment has a positive influence on their decision-making capacity, their professional learning and their impact on pupils’ success. Empowerment is also central to improve teaching (Veisi et al., 2015). Moreover, self-efficacy appears to be one of the constituent dimensions of empowerment that proves to be one of the most reliable predictors of a teacher's professional commitment (Bogler & Somech, 2004). Bandura (2007) defines self-efficacy as the individual's belief in his or her ability to organise and carry out the course of action required to produce desired results. Thus, teachers’ self-efficacy is their belief in their own ability to play a key role in the success of their pupils. It is also their belief that they can bring their students along with them in their teaching project (Brown et al., 2015). Studies show that teachers with a high self-efficacy are more involved in the running of their institution, more open to pedagogical developments and more pugnacious when faced with difficult situations (Veisi et al., 2015). With regard to classroom management, teachers who can rely on a strong self-efficacy to face difficult pupils’ behaviour are more inclined to develop educational practices tailored to pupils' aspirations. As a result, pupils develop more positive attitudes to learning and development. This has a positive impact on their school experience and success (Gaudreau et al., 2015). Empowerment is thus considered by Bandura (1997) to be generated by the development of self-efficacy. However, from a systemic perspective, it seems appropriate to question the interaction between these two concepts in the development of teachers' skills, particularly in regard to classroom management (Nazari et al., 2021).

The literature suggests that self-efficacy for classroom management may be related to empowerment. Indeed, some studies indicate statistically significant relationships between self-efficacy and empowerment (Hemric et al., 2010; Veisi et al., 2015). The aim of this study was therefore to verify the existence of a relation between these two concepts. The results of this study show relations between certain dimensions of self-efficacy for classroom management and certain dimensions of empowerment. These results are discussed in light of Gaudreau’ (2017) self-efficacy for classroom management and Maury and Hedjerassi’ (2020) empowerment process theories.

Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used The aim of this research is to measure the relation between trainee teachers' self-efficacy for classroom management and their empowerment. The design is prescriptive and correlational. The chosen sampling method is non-probabilistic. The teachers in training were invited online to complete a survey consisting of, among other things, a general information sheet to profile the respondents on one side, the Gaudreau et al.'s (2015) self-efficacy for classroom management scale on the other side, and finally the Boudreault's empowerment scale (1999, adapted from Tymon, 1988). Two hundred and forty-five (245) questionnaires were completed. The sample was thus made up of 147 (59.8%) pre-school and primary bachelor teachers, 5 (2%) secondary I bachelor teachers, 75 (28.5%) secondary I and/or II master teachers and 19 (7.7%) special education master teachers. One hundred and eighty-five (185) women and 58 men completed the survey. Three (3) individuals identified themselves as belonging to the other category. In regard to the quality of the measurement instruments, the Gaudreau et al. (2015) self-efficacy for classroom management scale has a total internal consistency index (Cronbach's alpha) of 0.97. In regard to the dimensions, the internal consistency index are 0.83 for the dimension managing resources, 0.88 for the dimension establishing clear expectations, 0.88 for the dimension capturing and maintaining pupils’ attention and commitment to the task, 0.88 for the dimension developing positive relationships and 0.93 for the dimension managing difficult behaviour. As for Boudreault's empowerment scale (1999, adapted from Tymon, 1988), the total internal consistency index was 0.97. In regard to the dimensions, the internal consistency index are 0.93 for the significance dimension, 0.95 for the impact dimension, 0.87 for the competence dimension and 0.92 for the choice dimension. The data analysis plan consists of data reduction and descriptive and confirmatory analyses. Data reduction is used to generate the measurement indicators. The descriptive analyses consisted of the means, standard deviations, kurtosis (asymmetry) and flattening of the respondents' results for each of the two instruments used, as well as a portrait of the respondents. Confirmatory analyses were carried out by calculating Pearson correlation coefficients.

Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings This research indicates that certain dimensions of self-efficacy are related to certain dimensions of empowerment. However, the relations as a whole are not significant. Nevertheless, it seems justified to state that this research validates that a certain number of interactions exist between self-efficacy for classroom management and the empowerment of trainee teachers. However, these results are hampered by a number of limitations. First, the lack of previous studies linking the two variables under study in the same population is a limitation of this study. In fact, to our knowledge, no study has examined the relations between teachers' self-efficacy for classroom management and their empowerment. Also, the correlational method was favoured in this research because of the absence of studies on the subject and because of the nature of the variables, which are difficult to manipulate in humans for feasibility and ethical reasons. However, this choice has limitations when it comes to interpreting the results, as it does not allow us to draw any conclusions about cause and effect. This research can only indicate the degree and nature of the relations between the variables studied (Robert, 1988a). Finally, the chosen sampling method is non-probabilistic by reasoned choice. Unfortunately, despite the advantages of this method, it does not allow us to specify the sampling error (Fortin, 2010). This type of sampling is therefore a limitation when it comes to generalise results, since the sampling cannot be as precise and representative as a probability sample (Fortin, 2010; Gauthier & Beaud, 2009). Other limitations will be explained during the presentation. Despite the limitations encountered, these results provide added value in terms of the importance of teacher training through a university program that reinforces the development of self-efficacy for classroom management, but also the empowerment of trainee teachers. References Bandura, A. (2007). Auto-efficacité : le sentiment d’efficacité personnelle (2nd ed.). De Boeck.

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