The exploration of teachers’ efficacy in teaching: Comparative study in Indonesia and Malaysia

Abstract

Teacher’s self-efficacy can be varied according to experience gained, experience obtained from other people, social influences, and also physical and psychological welfare. In the context of teacher’s efficacy in Indonesia and Malaysia, this psychological construct is likely to be different due to the different ways the teachers experienced it. The aim of the research is to examine the difference between teachers in Malaysia and Indonesia from the perspective of teacher’s efficacy in teaching. This research is a comparative study. The subjects of this research were elementary school teachers who were continuing their studies in post graduate programs at Yogyakarta State University and Sultan Idris University of Education. They were given a scale of teacher efficacy in teaching consisting of three subscales, namely teacher’s efficacy in involving students in learning, executing learning process, and class management. The findings showed that, in general, there were no significant differences in the teachers’ efficacy in teaching between those in Malaysia and Indonesia. However, if the differences were seen from each factor, it appears that there were differences in the efficacy of teachers in involving students in learning, while the efficacy in instructional learning strategies, and efficacy in classroom management showed no significant differences.