PEER MODELING AND TEACHING EFFICACY: THE INFLUENCE OF TWO STUDENT TEACHERS AT THE SAME TIME

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if placing two teachers at the same school had an influence on teaching efficacy. Bandura’s Model of Triadic Reciprocality and self-efficacy theory guided the inquiry. The population of interest was all student teachers at Texas A&M University. This study was conducted using data collected from a sample of student teachers during a twoyear (four-semester) period from 2004 to 2006. The typical student teacher was a white female pursuing certification as part of an undergraduate degree. Student teachers began the field experience efficacious about their teaching ability, then were less efficacious during the middle of the experience, and finally rebounded to higher levels of efficacy at the end of the experience. It was concluded that there is no difference in teaching efficacy between student teachers placed alone and those placed in pairs. Therefore, this sample was not consistent with Bandura’s theory of the positive influence of peer models.