The Relationship Between Educational Leadership and Teachers’ Self-Efficacy

Abstract

Leadership style of school principals is considered an influential factor in teachers’ self-efficacy. However, very few studies have explored the relationship between the transformational and transactional leadership style of school principals and self-efficacy of teachers. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between teachers’ self-efficacy and their perceptions of leaders/principals’ behaviour, with a special focus on the transactional and transformational leadership practices. Quantitative research design employing a stratified random sampling was used for this study. A total of (n= 357) teachers were surveyed, using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) and Bandura’s Instrument for self-efficacy. The strongest correlation was noticed between Idealized influence and self-efficacy for climate in schools (r = .377, p<.001), while Individual Consideration was found to be the strongest predictor of self-efficacy for teaching F (1,355) = .363, p<.000) with an R2 of .132. All four attributes of transformational leadership and two attributes of transactional leadership (contingent reward and active management by exception) were significantly associated with attributes of self-efficacy, whereas passive management by exception was the only leadership trait that was correlated negatively with self-efficacy. Results could point to contextual and cultural explanations regarding the perception of authority and leadership. Further work is needed to provide a better understanding of the relationship between attributes of transformational and transactional leadership and self-efficacy. The study provides practical implications that can be used in educational settings.