Positive Behaviour for Learning: Differentiating teachers' self-efficacy

The objective of this research is to compare the self-efficacy of teachers from schools implementing Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) (experimental group) with teachers in schools who are on the wait list (control group). PBL is a behaviour management innovation adapted from the US, Positive Behaviour Interventions and Supports (PBIS) that has been progressively introduced across schools by the NSW Department of Education and Training Western Sydney Region (DET WSR). It was hypothesised that teachers who had been implementing PBL (experimental) would report higher teacher self-efficacy than those in the control group. The Ohio State Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale was used to measure teacher self-efficacy. The sample comprised 394 primary and secondary teachers from the WSR. Interestingly the results revealed that PBL teachers had equally high self-efficacy of instruction and management compared with the control group and there was no significant difference between teachers from PBL and non-PBL schools in their self-efficacy of engagement and classroom management. The implications of these findings are considered.

Key Phrase: Motivation and Learning