Perceptions of Freedom and Commitment as Sources of Self-efficacy Among Pedagogical Advisors

Abstract

The perceptions of the role of the pedagogical advisor are multiple and diverse. This amorphous situation places importance on the sense of self-efficacy among those filling this role. Examined in this study was what pedagogical advisors perceive as factors affecting their professional self-efficacy through in-depth interviews of 10 experienced pedagogical advisors of different disciplinary subjects from three teachers colleges in Israel. The main finding is that pedagogical advisors perceive their professional autonomy as a necessary condition for the effective fulfillment of their role. Autonomy allows them to develop their potential in the intrapersonal, interpersonal and organizational domains of their work. Their sense of autonomy is based on a connection between freedom and commitment to the teaching profession. The need for autonomy demands of the pedagogical advisors that they be in a constant state of reflection in order to reinvent and reformulate their roles in response to changing contexts and demands.

Keywords:

• pedagogical advisor
• professional self-efficacy
• autonomy
• freedom
• commitment

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Mofet Institute for Teacher Education, Israel for funding the present study.