Dimensions of Teacher Efficacy and Student Academic Achievement in Selected Primary Schools in Trinidad and Tobago

The study focussed on the efficacy of teachers in one Education District in Trinidad and Tobago. Three dimensions of teacher efficacy–student engagement, instructional strategies and classroom management [1] were examined in relation to teachers’ attributes and teacher-student relationship. The study explored perceived differences in teacher efficacy based on school type, size, demography, gender and years of teaching experience. Comparisons were made between teachers’ efficacy scores and student academic achievement. The participants were 532 teachers from 52 government and government-assisted primary schools in the St. George Education District of Trinidad and Tobago. A quantitative method employing a cross-sectional design was used in the study. The quantitative data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS–SPG2). Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to test hypotheses and answer research questions. The results indicated that there were no significant differences in the three dimensions of teacher efficacy according to school type, gender, location, size of school and years of teaching experience. There was also a moderate to strong correlation between the demographic and school-level teacher efficacy factors. The results indicated further that student engagement had the greatest influence on student academic achievement. Implications and recommendations for teacher professional development were discussed.