Creative Science Through Inquiry: Improving Teacher Self-Efficacy and Outcome Expectancy Through Adaptable, Mystery-Based Professional Development

Abstract

Teacher self-efficacy is an important contributor to student outcomes, school climate and teacher retention. Outcome expectancy, a construct studied more commonly in health- and behaviour-related fields, may also positively impact school-related outcomes. Research shows that professional development can increase teacher confidence, but few studies have considered this connection for science-focused professional development, specifically. Our study assesses the impact of a science-focused, mystery-based professional development workshop for upper-elementary to high-school teachers. The hands-on, collaborative nature of this workshop allowed for generalisability to classrooms of various ability levels. Using the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument-A (STEBI-A) as a measure of science-teaching self-efficacy and outcome expectancy, we found that participants’ self-reported self-efficacy and outcome expectancy significantly increased (p < .001 for each) over the course of the two-week workshop. This outcome is especially relevant to schools and districts interested in improving student outcomes, school climate and teacher retention rates.