Unleashing the Power of Teacher Self-Efficacy in the Enactment of Educational Innovation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15642/ijet2.2025.14.2.195-206Keywords:
Innovation, Professionalism, Teacher Self-EfficacyAbstract
Teacher self-efficacy (TSE), grounded in Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory, is a key psychological construct that influences teachers' professional beliefs, behaviors, and responses to change. In contemporary educational contexts where instructional, curricular, and technological innovations are increasingly prevalent, teachers' beliefs in their own capabilities play a crucial role in shaping how such innovations are perceived, enacted, or resisted. However, despite extensive empirical research on TSE, the literature still lacks a consolidated framework explaining how task-specific efficacy beliefs dynamically interact with complex institutional and contextual factors during the implementation of multifaceted educational reforms. To address this gap, this paper employs an integrative conceptual review design, systematically drawing on established theoretical perspectives and empirical literature to synthesize existing knowledge and propose a unified conceptual model. This conceptual paper examines teacher self-efficacy and explores its significance in enacting educational innovation. Drawing on established theoretical perspectives and empirical literature, the paper first traces the conceptual development of TSE. It clarifies its defining characteristics, including its task- and context-specific nature, sources of efficacy information, and relative stability over time. Despite extensive research on teacher self-efficacy and educational innovation, a conceptual gap remains in understanding how TSE interacts with contextual and personal factors to shape teachers' responses to innovation across different educational settings. It then discusses how TSE influences teachers' attitudes towards innovation, their willingness to adopt new pedagogical and technological practices, and their persistence in managing the demands and challenges associated with educational change. The discussion highlights that while high levels of TSE often support innovation adoption, efficacy beliefs may also interact with contextual and personal factors in complex ways. The paper concludes by emphasizing the importance of embedding TSE within professional development initiatives and institutional support structures to enhance teachers' capacity to engage meaningfully with educational innovation.
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