TY - JOUR
T1 - School environment and mastery experience as predictors of teachers' self-efficacy beliefs towards inclusive teaching
AU - Wilson, Claire
AU - Woolfson, Lisa Marks
AU - Durkin, Kevin
N1 - This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in International Journal of Inclusive Education on 03/04/2018, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/13603116.2018.1455901
PY - 2020/4/3
Y1 - 2020/4/3
N2 - Teacher self-efficacy plays a key role in the successful inclusion of children with intellectual disabilities in mainstream schools. But what influences self-efficacy and how can we support its growth? Drawing on Social Cognitive Theory, the study examined teachers’ mastery experiences, perceptions of the school environment, self-efficacy and reported inclusive teaching. The sample comprised 148 primary school teachers from Scottish mainstream schools. Participants completed questionnaires measuring mastery experiences, the school environment (collective efficacy and school climate perceptions), self-efficacy and reported inclusive teaching practices. Regression analyses demonstrated that school environment (collective efficacy and school climate), and mastery experiences were important in predicting teachers’ self-efficacy. Further, self-efficacy acted as a mediator between teachers’ perceptions of the school climate and reported inclusive behaviour. This brings us closer to understanding how teacher self-efficacy is fostered and the role of the school environment. Engaging with teacher belief systems may cultivate a school climate that promotes inclusion.
AB - Teacher self-efficacy plays a key role in the successful inclusion of children with intellectual disabilities in mainstream schools. But what influences self-efficacy and how can we support its growth? Drawing on Social Cognitive Theory, the study examined teachers’ mastery experiences, perceptions of the school environment, self-efficacy and reported inclusive teaching. The sample comprised 148 primary school teachers from Scottish mainstream schools. Participants completed questionnaires measuring mastery experiences, the school environment (collective efficacy and school climate perceptions), self-efficacy and reported inclusive teaching practices. Regression analyses demonstrated that school environment (collective efficacy and school climate), and mastery experiences were important in predicting teachers’ self-efficacy. Further, self-efficacy acted as a mediator between teachers’ perceptions of the school climate and reported inclusive behaviour. This brings us closer to understanding how teacher self-efficacy is fostered and the role of the school environment. Engaging with teacher belief systems may cultivate a school climate that promotes inclusion.
KW - inclusion
KW - teacher self-efficacy
KW - mastery experience
KW - school climate
U2 - 10.1080/13603116.2018.1455901
DO - 10.1080/13603116.2018.1455901
M3 - Article
SN - 1360-3116
VL - 24
SP - 218
EP - 234
JO - International Journal of Inclusive Education
JF - International Journal of Inclusive Education
IS - 2
ER -