Empowering Educators: A Mixed Methods Study on K–12 Teacher Self-Efficacy and Practice Following a Professional Development Conference

Citation

Mishnick, N. & Montagnino, L. (2026). Empowering Educators: A Mixed Methods Study on K–12 Teacher Self-Efficacy and Practice Following a Professional Development Conference. Journal of Online Learning Research, 12(2), 233-255. https://www.learntechlib.org/primary/p/226582/

Abstract

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the growth of K-12 online schools has steadily increased. However, professional development for educators is still largely focused on the K-12 classroom. This disconnect has created a need for professional development targeted to online educators. In response to this need, Empowering Educators, a one-day professional development conference focused on online teaching, was created. This mixed-methods study, utilizing Bandura’s Self-Efficacy theory and a convergent parallel design, analyzed pre- and conference survey responses to determine if the targeted professional development impacted online teachers' self-efficacy and classroom practices. Quantitative results (n =15) revealed statistically significant increases in self-efficacy in regard to ensuring the online classroom is accessible for diverse learners and incorporating activities beyond lectures. Qualitative analysis (n = 15) revealed that teachers anticipated changes in their instructional design and activity selection following the conference. Overall, findings suggest that brief, targeted professional development for online educators can increase online self-efficacy and enhance the effectiveness of online instructors.

Authors

  • Mishnick, Nicole
  • Montagnino, Lauren

Reference Type

Journal

Keywords

  • Self-efficacy (se)
  • Teacher professional development
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