Experiencing the Shift: How Experiential Blended Learning Professional Development Enhances Teacher Self-Efficacy

This qualitative study examines how participation in a multi-year, experiential professional development program—the Academy of Blended Learning (ABL)—shaped teachers’ perceived self-efficacy in implementing blended learning. Grounded in Bandura’s self-efficacy theory, Bruner’s constructivism, and Knowles’ adult learning principles, the study drew on semi-structured interviews and instructional artifacts from eight teachers in Catholic schools serving historically marginalized communities in California. Findings suggest that ABL participation was associated with increased instructional confidence, a stronger sense of professional purpose, and greater enthusiasm for student-centered, technology-enhanced learning. Teachers attributed these shifts to ABL’s design, which emphasized active participation, collaborative inquiry, differentiated instruction, and development of a growth mindset. Although limited by its small, context-specific sample, this study provides preliminary evidence that sustained, experiential PD can enhance teacher self-efficacy in under-resourced settings and underscores the need for future longitudinal and mixed-methods research to inform scalable, equity-focused PD design.