Relationship of teacher’s self-efficacy and student’s motivational beliefs; the mediating role of teaching quality

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between Teacher’s self-efficacy and student’s motivational beliefs; with the mediating role of teaching quality. The statistical population of this study was active schools in 19 educational districts of Tehran. 250 students and 50 teachers were selected by using a multi-stage random sampling method. Research instruments included the Teacher Self-efficacy Scale (Schwarzer, Schmitz & Daytner 1999), the Class Management and Cognitive Activation Scale (Borisa & Kimb, 2020), the Supportive Climate Questionnaire (Williams & Deci, 1996), the Student Self-Efficacy and Intrinsic Motivation Scale (Pintrich, Smith, Garcia & Mckeachie, 1993). Data were analyzed by the Pearson correlation coefficient and structural equation modeling. Findings showed that there is a positive relationship between teacher’s self-efficacy and the student’s motivational beliefs. Also, the path coefficient in the effect of the teacher’s self-efficiency on the student’s self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation was positive. Teacher’s self-efficiency also was effective in student’s motivational beliefs through components of teaching quality (class management and supportive climate). Cognitive activation has a mediating role between the teacher’s and student’s self-efficiency. These findings showed the importance of the role of teacher’s self-efficacy, which impresses the quality of teaching and student’s motivational beliefs, directly and indirectly (through the quality of teaching’s components). Findings can be explained based on Bandu- ra’s social-cognitive theory which argues that persons with higher self-efficacy have better performance. In other words, a teacher’s expectations and his/her trust in his/her own abilities are reflected in achieving teaching goals, which in turn leads to improving student’s self-efficiency and intrinsic motivation. The findings implicated the importance of teacher’s personal development and the critical role of teacher training centers in training and choosing teachers.