UNPACKING
The Impact of Collective Teacher Efficacy
CTE is a powerful practice that significantly impacts student outcomes. There is a positive correlation between CTE and student performance. Fernandez et al. (2017) reported that one unit increase in CTE was connected to over 40% of a standard deviation in student achievement. The beliefs teachers hold about the ability of their school to impact student outcomes are “strongly and positively associated with student achievement across subject areas and in multiple locations” (Eells, 2011). In his 2018 ranking of factors related to student achievement, John Hattie ranked CTE as having the highest influence of all 256 factors, with an effect size of 1.57. When evaluating effect sizes, Dr. Hattie uses a “hinge point” of 0.4 to judge the success of an intervention. An effect size higher than 0.4 indicates an intervention provides more than a year’s worth of growth in a year’s time (Hattie, 2018).
Review Dr. Hattie’s ranking, Hattie’s 2018 updated list of factors related to student achievement, and consider the following questions.
- What stands out as you compare the effect size of CTE with other highly effective practices?
- Why might CTE result in such a high effect size?
Reflection Questions
- Why might CTE be more powerful and predictive of student achievement than the effect of prior achievement and/or socio-economic status?
- How might Hattie’s research findings help to convince staff in your school that efficacy beliefs in educators are important?
- Which enabling conditions described in the video are currently in place in your school or district?
Benefits of Collective Efficacy
Next watch Donohoo (2019) explain the importance of CTE for improving student outcomes in the video What are the Benefits of Collective Efficacy? How does Donohoo explain the power of teacher beliefs on student behavior and performance?
What are the Benefits of Collective Efficacy?(2:35 min.)
| When CTE is HIGH, Teachers… | When CTE is LOW, Teachers… |
|---|---|
| Find new ways to tackle difficult challenges Set more difficult group goals and are more committed to the goals Put more effort into planning Are more open to new ideas Are more willing to experiment Are more resilient Work collaboratively Welcome parent participation Are more committed | Extend less effort Give up more easily Perform at lower levels Experience burnout Feel isolated Have greater apathy Experience more uncertainty |
Positive Results of High CTE in Schools
Improves student performance
Improves the negative effects of low socioeconomic status
Enhances parent-teacher relationships
Creates a work environment that builds teacher commitment to the school
Reflection Questions
- What characteristics of CTE do you see in your staff?
- How might your students benefit from improved CTE in your school?
- How might the teachers in your school benefit from efforts focused on improving CTE?