A PREFERENTIAL STUDY ON COMMUNITY AND PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT AS ANTECEDENTS OF TEACHER SELF-EFFICACY IN TENKASI DISTRICT

Abstract

Teacher self-efficacy plays a vital role in shaping instructional quality, classroom management, and student engagement. Grounded
in Bandura’s (1997) social cognitive theory, self-efficacy reflects teachers’ beliefs in their ability to influence student learning outcomes.
Recent research emphasizes the importance of external support systems, particularly community and parental involvement, as significant
antecedents of teacher self-efficacy (Epstein, 2018; Hoover-Dempsey & Sandler, 2005). This preferential study examines the extent to which
community and parental involvement influence teacher self-efficacy among school teachers in Tenkasi district, Tamil Nadu. Using a
descriptive correlational research design, data were collected from 200 school teachers through structured questionnaires measuring levels
of parental involvement, community participation, and teacher self-efficacy. Statistical analyses, including descriptive statistics, correlation,
and multiple regression, were employed to examine the relationships among variables. The findings reveal a significant positive relationship
between parental involvement and teacher self-efficacy, indicating that teachers who experience greater parental support demonstrate higher
confidence in instructional practices and classroom management. Similarly, community involvement emerged as a significant predictor of
teacher self-efficacy, particularly through resource support, participation in school activities, and collaborative partnerships.
The study highlights that parental involvement exerts a stronger influence on teacher self-efficacy compared to community
involvement. These findings underscore the importance of strengthening school–family–community partnerships to enhance teachers’
professional confidence and effectiveness. The study offers practical implications for policymakers andschool administrators to design
targeted intervention programs that promote stakeholder engagement in the educational process.