Self-efficacy and empathy of the Russians teachers

Abstract

The problem of teachers' self-efficacy remains highly topical. Studying the relationship between empathy and self-efficacy in school teachers is becoming productive in this regard. What was the aim of this study included determining the relationship between empathy and teachers' self-efficacy through an analysis of English-language sources as well as a correlational analysis of the data obtained from an online survey of Russian teachers. The following methodologies - the adapted Empathy Scale for Teachers, as well as the Teacher Self-Efficacy Questionnaire - were used in the study. 116 teachers from a number of Russian regions took part in the survey, 94.5% of whom were women, whose average age gave 45.04 years. SPSS 19.0 software was used to process the data. As the results of the survey showed, Russian female teachers highly evaluate their own ratings in using computer and multimedia technologies; their skills of contact with different audiences (pupils, parents, colleagues) are highly developed in them; they are able to argue their position; at the same time, these women have difficulties in distance learning and in selecting methods of pupils' interviewing and pedagogic diagnostics; they have difficulties using legislative and other normative legal documents. It has been found that empathy is related to the level of religiosity in the female teachers, as well as the pedagogues' education; finally, it is related to the way the pedagogues assess their self-efficacy, namely: recognising emotions in pupils is related to the female teachers' creative and research skills, to their ability to construct a direct and feedback relationship with the other person. It is necessary to take this into account when working with teachers in the school system.