What influences teachers' self-efficacy in East Asia? Evidence from the 2018 Teaching and Learning International Survey

Abstract

Teachers' self-efficacy plays an essential role in shaping an effective teaching and learning environment. We investigated the factors influencing teachers' self-efficacy in three typical and influential East Asian countries: China, Japan, and South Korea. Data were sourced from the 2018 Teaching and Learning International Survey. We used hierarchical linear modeling to examine the effects of teacher-and school-level factors on teachers' self-efficacy. Results show that teaching years, teaching practices, disciplinary climate, teacher–student relationships, job satisfaction, and social utility motivation to teach were significantly associated with teachers' selfefficacy in each location. In addition, at the school level, teachers in China who worked in private and urban schools had higher self-efficacy than those who worked in public and rural schools. Implications for improving teachers' self-efficacy in East Asia are discussed.