Transformational leadership and organizational commitment: unlocking the potential of collective teacher efficacy

In response to mounting educational challenges including technological advancements, shifting social dynamics, and systemic disruptions, collective teacher efficacy has emerged as a key factor in strengthening school resilience and student success. Grounded in Social Cognitive Theory, this study examines how transformational leadership influences collective teacher efficacy both directly and indirectly through the mediating role of organizational commitment among teachers in the Arab educational system in Israel. We conceptualize organizational commitment as a core motivational mechanism linking transformational leadership to collective teacher efficacy. Specifically, transformational leadership practices such as articulating a clear vision, fostering trust, and recognizing teachers’ contributions cultivate emotional attachment and commitment to the school. In turn, this sense of commitment enhances collaboration and strengthens teachers’ shared belief in their collective teacher efficacy. This hypothesized directionality is supported by prior theory and research identifying organizational commitment as a proximal predictor of collective teacher efficacy. The study surveyed 324 teachers across 62 randomly selected Arab schools. Using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), findings confirmed both direct and indirect effects of transformational leadership on collective teacher efficacy, with organizational commitment serving as a significant mediator. Transformational leadership was also positively associated with organizational commitment, and organizational commitment with collective teacher efficacy supporting the full hypothesized model. This study advances theoretical understanding of the mediating mechanisms through which transformational leadership influences collective teacher efficacy through its effect on organizational commitment highlighting the mediating processes that underpin this dynamic. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.