Self-efficacy is a key factor in performance success, yet little is known about how music educators nurture students' self-belief within studio and class music lessons. This study explored teachers' perceptions of pedagogical priorities in the development of self-efficacy. The goal was to understand how teachers intuitively nurture students'…

Peer relationships play important roles in middle-school students' individual development. Peer support is indispensable in computer-supported learning contexts. This study is designed to explore the connection between perceived peer support and deeper learning, while examining the mediating role of computer self-efficacy and perceived classroom…

Independence is a critical skill in preparing students with disabilities for success after high school. Secondary special education teachers equip their students toward task independence across skill domains (e.g., employment, independent living), yet there is little guidance regarding a simple and systematic way to do so. MADE 2 FADE (M2F) is a…

Challenges are a constant across all kinds of musical contexts, and teachers are always looking for ways to help students overcome them. While there are many technical and pedagogical approaches to helping students achieve in music, psychology also plays a significant role in the struggles that students face. Counteractive optimism, the act of…

Challenge-based teaching facilitates students' simultaneous development of content mastery and strategies for applying technical knowledge innovatively. The University of Texas at Austin Department of Biomedical Engineering has offered a challenge-based course on biotransport as an accelerated study-abroad learning experience in Cambridge,…

This longitudinal study examines connections between 110 teachers' perceived professional competence acquired during professional preparation and later perceptions as schoolteachers in Norway. The results indicate that theoretical understanding plays an important role in schoolteachers' professional competence development and that prospective and…

Self-efficacy in school leaders is critical: Without a strong sense of purpose and focus, school leaders will fail at performing the difficult task that it takes to ensure student success and school performance. Competence without confidence may lead to school leaders who are hesitant, full of self-doubt, and inconsistent with their decisions. For…

Low teacher self-efficacy is an important factor constraining the teaching of science at the elementary level. This study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of particular sources of efficacy information for enhancing the science teaching self-efficacy of practicing elementary teachers. Twelve teachers participated in an intervention…

This study focuses on the development of paraeducators as a resource for student learning. More specifically, the study involved a post hoc analysis of an action research project aimed at improving the instructional skill of paraeducators in the content area of reading. The conceptual framework for the study was grounded in the literature of…

Self-directed learning (SDL) is an important life skill in a knowledge-based society and prepares students to persist, manage their time and resources, use logic to construct their knowledge, argue their views, and collaborate. The purpose of this study was to facilitate mastery of physics concepts through self-directedness in formative testing…