Language Teachers’ Professional Development through Enhanced Collective Efficacy by Collaboration in an Online Platform

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of teachers' collaboration in an online platform designed to assist in their professional development by enhancing their collective efficacy. As such, and as a possible contribution to the field of language teachers’ education, the purpose of the present study is to provide insights into the promotion of professional development for teachers. The participants underwent a quasi-experimental design consisting of three phases of a pretest, an educational treatment phase, and a posttest. The findings showed that collaboration in the social networking medium significantly increased teachers' collective efficacy which in turn contributed to their professional development.  According to the results, participation in collaborative, professional and critical discussion circles enhanced collective efficacy component of language teachers’ professional development, and that teachers’ gender, age, and level of education differentially affected their professional development. The results of the study are discussed within the social-constructivist and activity theories.