The mediating role of teacher self-efficacy in predicting teachers’ research attitudes

Abstract

ABSTRACT Teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs and research behaviors are critical to both professional development and the quality of instruction. Thus, teachers are expected to accept and apply the research findings generated by educational researchers to solve a classroom, student, or instructional issue. This article aimed to determine teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs and research attitudes and to examine the relationship between these concepts. The study adopted a correlational survey method and was conducted with 459 teachers. Findings revealed that teachers had a high level of self-efficacy and a moderate level of research attitudes. It was intriguing that only teaching level, and not gender, teaching experience, and academic degree, was associated with self-efficacy and research attitudes. A direct relationship was found between teacher self-efficacy and research attitudes. Findings highlight the importance of self-efficacy beliefs, which significantly affect research attitudes, in teachers’ professional development. Implications of the results for teacher development and future studies are discussed.