Validation of the serbian version of the teachers’ sense of efficacy scale (TSES)

Abstract

Given that teacher self-efficacy has been recognized as a significant predictor of desirable outcomes at the student as well as at the teacher level, it is necessary to address the lack of a robust measure of this construct in Serbia. The present study examined the reliability, factor structure, and criterion validity of the 12-item Teach-ers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) among a sample of 452 Serbian teachers. Internal consistency estimates for scores on the TSES varied from.77 to.88. The results of confirmatory factor analysis showed that a three-factor model of the TSES yielded the best fit to data. Criterion validity of the TSES was supported by relationships of all its subscales with teacher job satisfaction. Primary school classroom teachers reported significantly higher self-efficacy for student engagement compared to secondary and high school teachers. No significant differences were found with gender and years of teaching experience. Our results confirm that the TSES is a reliable and valid instrument, and thus potentially useful for research within the Serbian cultural context. Both areas for future research and practical implications are discussed.