Embarking on an academic career with online teaching: changes in self-efficacy and its sources.

INTRODUCTION

Commencing teaching is overwhelming, and more so with transitions in teaching formats. Teacher self-efficacy (TSE), situated at the center of teacher motivation, can affect both teacher and student performance; however, it resists change once established in the initial stage. Therefore, it is essential to examine its flexibility and the sources that influence it in this period. Few studies have been conducted on the TSE of academics who embarked on their career with online teaching related to COVID-19.

METHODS

This mixed-method study examined changes in online teaching self-efficacy (OTSE) of 69 first-year academics measured at the beginning and end of online teaching during the lockdown retrospectively, out of whom four were interviewed for OTSE sources.

RESULTS

TSE for online teaching (β = 0.69, p < 0.001) and technology application (β = 0.74, p < 0.001) increased significantly. Mastery experience, including prior teaching-related experience, less demanding characteristics of online teaching, subject and pedagogical knowledge, and perceived students' performance, was the primary source. Verbal feedback from colleagues and students, and initial stress emotions were the other two main sources. Vicarious experience was rarely reported.

DISCUSSION: Higher education institutions could explore strategies, including the provision of hands-on experience and gradually increasing early-stage workload to prepare their staff for innovative teaching contexts like online and blended teaching. Limitations and suggestions on future research are discussed.