Self-efficacy and professional development of Chinese language teachers in North Carolina secondary schools

Abstract

Previous research has identified positive impact of professional development (PD) on teachers’ self-efficacy. Yet, there is scant research into the potential relationships between second language (L2) teachers’ self-efficacy and PD. Furthermore, the participants of these studies were limited to English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers, and PD was studied only in the form of short-term programs. There is a strong need to investigate how ongoing PD may interact with the self-efficacy development of teachers of other foreign/second languages. To further the research endeavor, this study adopted an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design to examine self-efficacy in the application of professional standards and PD activities and needs of Chinese language teachers in North Carolina secondary schools. The study collected quantitative data from an online survey and qualitative data through interviews. The quantitative survey results informed the qualitative interview protocol design and the purposeful sampling of interviewees. The quantitative findings indicate that teachers’ self-efficacy was significantly predicted by their perceived PD benefits and self-reported PD support, but teachers’ PD needs were not found to be significant predictors of their self-efficacy. The qualitative findings identified regular critical reflections, active involvement in the professional community, and various sources of PD support as important contributors to teachers’ self-efficacy development. Implications of the study for teacher educators, stakeholders and researchers are also discussed through analysis of the integrated findings.