The Effect of E-Coaching Attendance on Alternatively Certified Teachers' Sense of Self-Efficacy

A study was conducted to examine the self-efficacy of first-year teachers trained in an alternative certification program. Teachers were provided access to professional development through blended learning, yet had varying levels of attendance in the online component (e-coaching). Teachers who attended six or more e-coaching sessions began the school year with lower levels of self-efficacy than those who attended five or fewer e-coaching sessions. Furthermore, teachers who attended six or more e-coaching sessions reported significant gains in self-efficacy over their first year of teaching, whereas teachers who attended five or fewer sessions did not report significant gain in self-efficacy. Findings suggest that programmatic efforts to use blended learning to support teacher professional development should be accompanied with policies and incentives that encourage use, along with scheduling adjustments that reserve time for teachers' frequent and meaningful use of the online component of blended learning.