Organizational Support and Research Self-efficacy: The Moderating Role of Development of Teachers’ Capability of Futurology

This study aimed to assess the organizational support and research self-efficacy relationship. This study also investigated development of teachers’ capability of futurology as a moderator in the relationship mentioned above. This applied research had a descriptive, correlational design. The statistical population of the study was comprised of 359 elementary school teachers in Behshahr in 2018-19 school year. Krejcie and Morgan table was used to determine the sample size (N=186) and the sample was drawn via stratified random sampling based on gender. Research instruments included Organizational Support Questionnaire (Allen et al., 2008), Research Self-Efficacy Scale (Salehi, 2011) and Development of Capability of Futurology Questionnaire (Lashkari, 2020). The content and face validity of the instruments was confirmed by experts and their reliability was calculated to 0.82, 0.79 and 0.80 respectively by the use of Cronbach’s alpha. Structural equation modeling was performed to examine the relations among the variables of the research.  The results showed that organizational support and development of teachers’ capability of futurology were significantly associated with research self-efficacy. Considering the final model, it can be stated organizational support had a positive effect on research self-efficacy (β=0.44). Also, development of teachers’ capability of futurology had a positive effect on research self-efficacy (β=0.49). Furthermore, organizational support had a positive effect on development of capability of futurology (β=0.71). Finally, the results demonstrated that development of teachers’ capability of futurology played a mediating role in the link between organizational support and research self-efficacy.