Collective Teacher Efficacy and Its Enabling Conditions: A Proposed Framework for Influencing Collective Efficacy in Schools

Oct 15, 2026

Quantitative research investigates the validity of Donohoo et al.’s (2020) Enabling Conditions for Collective Teacher Efficacy Scale (EC-CTES) and examines its relationship with measures of collective teacher efficacy. The study uses EC-CTES, CES-SF, and CTBS, evaluating data via confirmatory factor analysis, correlation matrices, and multiple regression models. Results indicate EC-CTES validity and positive associations between its subscales and collective teacher efficacy measures. Adjustments are recommended to improve alignment with collective efficacy theory and practical use, and a modified conceptual framework is proposed for practitioner accessibility.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages16

Reading Time40 min

AccessFree to download

Collective Teacher Efficacy and Enabling Conditions

Study purpose and instruments

Methods and data analysis

Key findings and recommendations

Background: collective teacher efficacy and prior research

AERA Open January-December 2023, Vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 1–16 DOI: 10. 1177/23328584231175060 Article reuse guidelines: [sagepub.com/journals-permissions](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[ ](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)© The Author(s) 2023. [https://journals.sagepub.com/home/ero](https://journals.sagepub.com/home/ero) Collective Teacher Efficacy and Its Enabling Conditions: A Proposed Framework for Influencing Collective Efficacy in Schools Christine M. Anderson Illinois Public High School Administrator Kelly H. Summers Northern Illinois University Ryan D. Kopatich Augustana College William B. Dwyer Illinois Public High School Administrator This quantitative study aims to explore the validity of Donohoo et al. ’s (2020) Enabling Conditions for Collective Teacher Efficacy Scale (EC-CTES) for fostering collective efficacy in schools and evaluate its relationship to measures of collective teacher efficacy. The instruments used for this study include the EC-CTES, the Collective Efficacy Scale (CES-SF), and the Collective Teacher Beliefs Scale (CTBS). The data were evaluated through confirmatory factor analysis, correlation matrices, and multiple regression models. The findings from this study demonstrate that the EC-CTES is a valid tool. The EC-CTES subscales are positively associated with measures of collective teacher efficacy. We recommend adjustments for the EC-CTES subscales for greater congruence with collective efficacy theory and practical application. Due to the theoretical density of collective teacher efficacy, a modified conceptual framework is proposed to make the enabling conditions theory more accessible to practitioners. Keywords: administration, cohesive teacher knowledge, collective efficacy, collective efficacy narrative, collective teacher efficacy, correlational analysis, EC-CTES, embedded reflective practices, enabling conditions for collective teacher efficacy, empowered teachers, factor analysis, habitual practices, key actors, leadership, goal consensus, measurements, psychology, regression analyses, supportive leadership More than 2 decades of research have demonstrated that collective teacher efficacy has a significant effect on student learning, and numerous studies have explored environmental variables related to high levels of collective teacher efficacy (Donohoo, 2018; Donohoo et al., 2020; Eells, 2011; Hattie, 2016) . After the 2016 Visible Learning Conference, the construct skyrocketed in popularity with educators, including educational leadership because it was cited as the top influence on student learning, outweighing such fixed variables as parental involvement and socioeconomic status by as much as three-fold (Hattie, 2016) . Despite the vast array of work that explored variables related to collective efficacy, there was no cohesive framework for conceptualizing these variables, nor was there any indication as to what the prework, or enabling conditions, were for collective efficacy to take root in a school. Donohoo et al. (2020) aim to provide clarity by creating a framework for enabling conditions for collective teacher efficacy. Their corresponding quantitative survey proposes a synthesized framework educational practitioners could implement to foster collective teacher efficacy in their schools. Donohoo and colleagues (2020) develop and test the factor structure of the Enabling Conditions for Collective Teacher Efficacy Scale (EC-CTES) for measuring the presence of the enabling conditions, but prior to the present study, it has yet to be thoroughly validated and compared with other commonly used tools for measuring collective teacher efficacy. Although Donohoo et al.’s (2020) framework for fostering collective teacher efficacy provides a pathway for educational leaders to influence student achievement, no research has yet explored the relationship between collective teacher efficacy and the enabling conditions for collective teacher efficacy. Creative Commo

FAQs

What is the study’s main goal regarding EC-CTES?

To test the validity of the EC-CTES scale for fostering collective teacher efficacy in schools and to evaluate how EC-CTES relates to existing measures of collective teacher efficacy.

Which instruments were used in the study?

The study used EC-CTES, the Collective Efficacy Scale (CES-SF), and the Collective Teacher Beliefs Scale (CTBS).

How were the data analyzed?

Confirmatory factor analysis, correlation matrices, and multiple regression models were used to evaluate the scale and its relationships with other measures.

What do the findings suggest for practitioners?

The EC-CTES is a valid tool, and its subscales show positive associations with collective teacher efficacy; the study recommends adjustments for greater theoretical and practical congruence and proposes a more accessible conceptual framework.

Oct 15, 2026

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