Date of Award

Spring 2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Committee Chair

Sydney Brown

Abstract

This study examined teacher self-efficacy and its influence on instructional effectiveness within a high school mathematics context. The study was grounded in the work of Bandura (1997), in addition to an extension of Benitez's (2020) research. This replication-by-extension study sought to explore how teachers’ lived experiences shape their self-efficacy beliefs and how those beliefs influence classroom practice. The study addressed two research questions: (a) What can we learn about self-efficacy sources from teachers’ experiences? and (b) How do teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs influence their effectiveness? This research is important given ongoing concerns regarding mathematics achievement and the role of teacher beliefs in shaping instructional outcomes. A qualitative design using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was employed. Data were collected through two rounds of semi-structured interviews with 12 high school mathematics teachers in a private school in North Carolina. Data were analyzed using a multi-cycle coding process, including in vivo coding, pattern identification, and theme development. Findings revealed that teacher self-efficacy developed through professional growth and lifelong learning, student-centered instructional practices, differentiation and equity in mathematics learning, and motivation and emotional resilience. The participants described their effectiveness through their planning, adaptation to instruction, and how they intentionally planned their lessons and maintained relational engagement; thus, Bandura’s (1997) sources of self-efficacy shaped the developmental nature of the efficacy beliefs that emerged throughout the study. The study findings put forward considerations that collaborative environments and professional experience help to shape teacher self-efficacy. Implications include the need for professional development structures that support reflection, mentorship, and instructional adaptability to enhance teacher effectiveness and student learning outcomes.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

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