Title of the Dissertation: Impact of self-efficacy on the job satisfaction of

private and public school teachers

Dissertation Proposal
Submitted by

Student Name: Ridhima Mukherjee

------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------------
Full Signature of Student with date Signature of Faculty Guide with date
 Introduction:The concept of self-efficacy derives from Bandura’s
social-cognitive theory of behavioural change (Bandura, 1977). It refers to a teacher’s belief in
his/her ability to successfully cope with tasks, obligations and challenges related to his/her
professional role (e.g., didactical tasks, managing discipline problems in the class, etc.) (Caprara
et al., 2006). This belief is determined by several factors, among which personality
characteristics – in particular personality traits – which have led to a rise in the academic interest
on the topic. For example, based on the five-factor model of personality (Costa and McCrae,
1992), Djigić et al. (2014) found that teachers with higher levels of openness to experience and
conscientiousness reported a stronger sense of efficacy. Sousa et al. (2012), in their study
involving frontline service employees, showed that also personal values are significant predictors
of workers’ self-efficacy. Specifically, openness to change values (i.e., self-direction, stimulation,
and hedonism) and self-enhancement values (i.e., power and achievement) are both positively
related to self-efficacy. These values are part of the well-known Schwartz’s (1992) model of
human values, which also includes conservation values (i.e., tradition, conformity, and security)
and self-transcendence values (i.e., benevolence and universalism). According to Schwartz,
personal values can be defined as trans-situational goals that vary in importance and serve as
guiding principles in people’s lives. Schwartz (1992, 2012) identified ten basic value types:
power (social status, dominance over people and resources), achievement (personal success
according to social standards), hedonism (pleasure or sensuous gratification), stimulation
(excitement, challenge, and novelty), self-direction (independence of thought and action),
benevolence (preserving and enhancing the welfare of people to whom one is close),
universalism (understanding, tolerance, and concern for the welfare of all people and nature),
tradition (respect and commitment to cultural or religious customs and ideas), conformity
(restraint of actions and impulses that may harm others or violate social expectations), and
security (safety and stability of society, relationships, and self). These ten values can be
organised into a motivational two-dimensional system. The first dimension contrasts openness to
change, which emphasises change and independence, and conservation, where the emphasis is
instead on self-restraint, preserving traditional practices, and safeguarding stability. The second
dimension contrasts self-enhancement, where people prioritise their personal interests even at the
expense of others, and self-transcendence, where people transcend their selfish concerns to
promote the welfare of others. More recently, Schwartz (2012) has highlighted that
self-transcendence and conservation values are characterised by a social focus, that is concern
with outcomes for others or for established institutions, whereas self-enhancement and openness
to change values by a personal focus, namely concern with outcome for self.Teachers’
self-efficacy has progressively gained an important role in school psychology research as a result
of its implications for teaching effectiveness, instructional practices, and for students’ academic
achievement (Klassen et al., 2009; Klassen and Tze, 2014). Considerable research has shown
that teachers with high levels of self-efficacy experience higher levels of job satisfaction, lower
levels of job-related stress and face less difficulties in dealing with students’ misbehaviors
(Caprara et al., 2003).
While the role of teachers’ work for student outcomes is widely recognised, the question whether
teachers are content with their working environment is often overlooked (Bascia & Rottmann,
Citation2011; Liang & Akiba, Citation2017). Meanwhile, teacher job satisfaction has many
important and far-reaching implications. First, it contributes to teacher well-being as satisfied
teachers are less susceptible to stress and burnout (Kyriacou & Sutcliffe, Citation1977; Skaalvik
& Skaalvik, Citation2011). In addition, there is evidence that students of teachers who are
content with their job also feel better (Collie, Shapka, & Perry, Citation2012; Spilt, Koomen, &
Thijs, Citation2011). Furthermore, satisfied teachers offer higher instructional quality and better
learning support for their students (Klusmann, Kunter, Trautwein, Lüdtke, & Baumert,
Citation2008; Kunter et al., Citation2013). Finally, content teachers demonstrate stronger job
commitment and are less prone to leave the profession (Blömeke, Houang, Hsieh, & Wang,
Citation2017; Klassen & Chiu, Citation2011), which is especially crucial in times when teacher
turnover is high. Teachers' job satisfaction is important for teachers' well-being, turnover rates,
and retention (Klassen & Chiu, 2011; Nguyen et al., 2020; Zhang & Zeller, 2016). In particular,
teachers' job satisfaction is related to the quality of teaching and finally to students' learning
(Klusmann et al., 2008). Thus, it is important to identify mechanisms to ensure job satisfaction of
all teachers. An important factor of teachers' job satisfaction is teachers' preparedness (Green &
Muñoz, 2016).

Objectives: To study the impact of the overall sense of self efficacy of teachers on their job
satisfaction.

Hypothesis: Null hypothesis (HO) -

Methods:
Research design: Survey method using structured questionnaires to collect data on teachers’
sense of self efficacy and job satisfaction. Data will be collected at a single point in time to
assess the influence of one variable on the other.

Sample: A total of sixty school teachers across India, comprising both males and females,
make up the study’s sample. The sample represents teachers from both private and public
schools.
References:
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01645/ful
https://doi.org/10.1080/00131911.2019.1705247
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2022.103942
Jerrim, J., Sims, S., & Oliver, M. (2023). Teacher self-efficacy and pupil achievement: much
ado about nothing? International evidence from TIMSS. Teachers and Teaching, 29(2), 220–240.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2022.2159365
Ortan F, Simut C, Simut R. Self-Efficacy, Job Satisfaction and Teacher Well-Being in the K-12
Educational System. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Dec 3;18(23):12763. doi:
10.3390/ijerph182312763. PMID: 34886493; PMCID: PMC8656960.
Hongying, S. (2007). Literature Review of Teacher Job Satisfaction. Chinese Education &
Society, 40(5), 11–16. https://doi.org/10.2753/CED1061-1932400502