Date of Award
2012
Degree Name
Curriculum and Instruction
College
College of Education
Type of Degree
Ed.D.
Document Type
Dissertation
First Advisor
Ronald B. Childress
Second Advisor
Sue Hollandsworth
Third Advisor
Edna Meisel
Fourth Advisor
Louis Watts
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the level of West Virginia public elementary school teachers’ self-efficacy for teaching character education. Questions addressed teachers’ overall level of perceived self-efficacy for teaching character education; the levels of perceived self-efficacy in student engagement, instructional strategies, and classroom management; and the differences between levels of perceived self-efficacy and selected school and teacher demographic/attribute variables. Teacher self-efficacy to instruct character education was measured using the Teacher Self-Efficacy to Instruct Character Education (TSICE) survey, an adaptation of the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) designed by Megan Tschannen-Moran and Anita Woolfolk Hoy (2001). The TSICE was distributed electronically to principals in 420 West Virginia elementary schools. Principals were asked to forward the survey to their teachers for response; 433 teachers completed the survey. Overall levels of perceived self-efficacy indicated that teachers had a significantly high level of total self-efficacy for teaching character education and held high levels of self-efficacy in the three sub-factors. Statistically significant differences were reported by counselors in character education functions including responding to difficult questions, aiding student comprehension using a variety of assessments, providing alternative examples to students, and providing appropriate challenges like service learning. Statistically significant results were also found for teachers of PreK – grade three for gauging student comprehension and establishing routines that stressed good character in the classroom. Ancillary findings indicate that the respondents felt they were least able to influence positive out-of-school behaviors and best able to influence positive principled behaviors.
Subject(s)
Moral education.
Education, Primary--Curricula.
Recommended Citation
Toney, Hannah R., "The Perceived Self- Efficacy Of West Virginia Public Elementary School Teachers To Teach Character Education" (2012). Theses, Dissertations and Capstones. 409.
https://mds.marshall.edu/etd/409
