Teachers' sense of collective efficacy: An international view

Purpose - This study explores the notion of collective teacher efficacy, a characteristic of schools that has emerged as a significant factor in school productivity. More specifically, this paper examines the construct validity and reliability of the Israeli Collective Teacher Efficacy Scale and explores variables that may influence teachers' sense of collective efficacy. Design/methodology/approach - A sample of teacher respondents from 66 elementary schools (876 teachers) in Israel's central school district was used. Findings - A comparison of the English (USA) version and the Hebrew (Israel) version of the Collective Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale revealed marked similarities, supporting the constitutive meaning of this construct and the construct validity of its subscales. In the Israeli sample, urban school teachers tended to have a higher sense of collective efficacy than suburban school teachers. Teachers' collective sense of efficacy was unrelated to the demographic variables examined, including the workload of teachers, the longevity of teachers in that particular school setting, and the average number of years of teaching experience of a faculty. Research limitations/implications - The focus of this study was elementary schools, and it may be that a larger study across school levels would have revealed difference across them that play a significant role in shaping teachers' sense of collective efficacy. Originality/value - The study strengthens the construct validity of the teachers' sense of collective efficacy scale and adds an international perspective to the small but growing body of research on teachers' collective sense of efficacy, which has been found to be significantly related to student achievement.