Self-Efficacy: An Instrument Critique Presentation, Article Critique Example

The study developed by Swackhamer (et al, 2007) specifically responds to the question on what denotes efficiency and practicality in a way a teacher or an instructor handles the class? Relatively, such question is one of the basic measuring points that identify the capacity of the instructor to be more reflective and attentive with regards the way he or she handles the responsibility of teaching the students. Considerably, it could be understood that with such query comes the ideal positioning of skills that would help educators be more influential and inspirational for their learners. To measure the competence of an educator to handle the daunting task of assisting students to learn and apply their lessons in life, administrators often include specific forms of measuring systems that would provide the teachers the guidelines that they need to improve the service they give to their students. This particular aspect of developing teacher efficacy is the primary focus of the study by Swackhamer (et al) entitled Increasing the Self-Efficacy of Inservice Teachers through Content Knowledge (2007). In this study, the researchers tried to research on self-efficacy in detail. The teachers [who were asked to participate in the study] were asked to respond to particular tests after taking content courses. This allowed the researchers to see on actual time how learning and self-efficacy contributes to the professional capacities of the educators to provide what their stakeholders need. The use of qualitative lens on examining the results garnered from the research performed by the authors, the response collected have been considered to specifically reflect the performance of the participants based on their behavior towards the test and towards the condition of development that they are distinctively being observed with.

The study of on self-efficacy noted in the article notes that one of the aspects included in this form of performance measuring instrument is dedicated to analyzing the personal beliefs of a person and how these beliefs specifically affect the performance of the educator in class and how he functions alongside his colleagues. Competency is believed to have a strong foundation based on the behavior and the personality of an individual; such context implies on the manner by which one’s personal and professional beliefs affect his way of thinking, thus making an impact on the way that he completes the tasks assigned to him. Another factor considered in this instrument is that of the external factors that could have a contributing factor on the development of the individual. Such external factors could include learning resources, social connections and classroom based experiences that further enhance the practice for teaching and management that most educators are involved with.

Relatively, the use of self-efficacy as an aspect of performance measuring instrument requires one to be highly disciplined. This means that a person undergoing such system of performance-check system, should know why the evaluation is necessary and how much accurate information would affect his personal growth and the development of the way he handles his craft. Relatively, being personal and all, some other factors could be added into the system as desired. It should be noted though that when it comes to this form of measurement, behavior is the central point of attention. The being of an individual is being measured accordingly as to how much it relates to the course by which he handles his tasks in class and even in relation to personal stance.

Notably, the questions used to obtain data for the completion of the study provides a distinct indication on the strengths and weaknesses of self-efficacy as a form of performance evaluation among inservice teachers. Among the questions included in the instrument is dedicated on how an educator personally understands her or his role as a teacher. The statement in the survey document notes: When a student does better that usual in math/science, it is often because the teacher exerted a little extra effort. From this statement, it could be realized how the teachers are asked to define their understanding on how self efficacy specifically affects their students directly. Another statement notes: when the Math/Science grades of students improve, it is most often due to their teaching having found a more teaching approach. This statement [along with the first one considered herein] points out how the researchers intend to see how the teachers see their personal standing as educators in line with the way their students accept and learn the lessons they present in class. Basing from the questions from the research that have been considered for this critique, it could be noted that what is good about self-efficacy measuring instrument is that it provides a person a better perspective of himself. This way, he would be able to draw a plan that would specifically work for his personality and his morals alongside the protocol operations that he must undergo in relation to his profession, in this case, education. Experience is considered as the deciding ground when it comes to defining and identifying particular improvements that an educator has incurred through time. It is believed that experience is the most effective source of learning in this particular field of profession. True, in this form of service provision, learning from what happened in the past plays a great role on how the person developed unto what he has become at present. Relatively, in the self-efficacy instrument, such element is considered to be an important aspect of growth among educators.

To conclude, here are some points that were given specific attention to in relation to he overall value of the study in improving pedagogy and the ways by which teachers handle their craft:

• Inservice teachers are given the capacity to improve their way of teaching based on the content-specific knowledge provided to them which allows them to see clearly what they have to provide to their lessons in relation to the lessons noted in the curriculum and the specific needs of each individual in class.
• Some teachers who are not given specific content-knowledge often lack the confidence amongst themselves especially in relation to how they are able to provide their students with the understanding that they need to comply with.
• The capacity of educational administrators to see to it that their teachers have the necessary content-knowledge they need about their subject and their students would provide the institution a better course of teaching development to follow which will immediately improve the institution’s reputation in the field of education service industry.

The instrumentation used for this research provides that experience vital in proving that an educator has actually learned more from how he is able to deal with his students. In conclusion, the study points out that out-of-the-book lessons could only be taught by time and encounters with real situations; their collaborative use alongside the personal learning of the educators and that of the application of their behavior on the process of teaching provides them better options of improving their craft. This way, the self-efficacy instrument could be considered an effective source competence record that could be fully used to improve one’s personal and professional being.

References:

Swackhamer, L.E. (et al). (2009). Increasing Self-Efficacy of In-service Teachers Through Content Knowledge. Teacher Education Quarterly.

Seifert, Timothy L. (2004). Understanding Student Motivation. Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John’s, Newfoundland.