Developing Personal Teaching Efficacy in New Teachers in University Settings

Confidence in one's ability to affect student learning in the classroom, or personal teaching efficacy, is an important predictor of instructor innovation, persistence, enthusiasm, and student achievement. Although the concept of teaching efficacy has often been studied in elementary and secondary education, it has been all but ignored in higher education. We examine the effectiveness of a teaching seminar designed to increase the teaching efficacy of new students in a nationally recognized PhD program. In addition, we examine the interactive effects of the teaching seminar and the participants' positive and negative affectivity. Implications of these findings for faculty development are discussed.