Self-Enhancement Strategies, Self-View and School Environment as Building Blocks for College Teachers’ Expertise

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Grenda

Examines how college teachers build and sustain expertise through interacting components: self-enhancement strategies, self-view, and perceptions of the schoolwork environment. A qualitative study argues that expertise is not determined only by subject mastery, student rapport, and instructional strategy skill, but also by teachers’ choices of personal and professional growth schemes. Findings frame self-view as a private self-perception shaped over the life course and connect workplace interactions with morale and performance.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Concept of expert teachers

Study Purpose

Professional enhancement, self-view, and work environment factors

Literature Review

Teachers’ self-enhancement strategies

Self-view and schoolwork environment

Asia Pacific Education Review Copyright 2007 by Education Research Institute 2007, Vol. 8, No.3, 386-396. Self-Enhancement Strategies, Self-View and School Environment as Building Blocks for College Teachers’ Expertise Praxedes S.M. de la Rosa University of Santo Tomas Philippines Teachers are a critical mass of professionals whose growth within the teaching profession is of great consequence to the effective imparting of knowledge and skills to students. While previous studies maintain that superior subject matter mastery, the ability to relate well to students, and innovative teaching strategies are qualities inherent in the teacher that qualify them to be adjudged as expert teachers, the present qualitative study argues that teachers’ life in the academe, their choice of Self-enhancement schemes, their self-view and their conception of the schoolwork environment are contributory building blocks in defining and maintaining their expertise. Key words: self-enhancement strategies, self-view, schoolwork environment, expert teachers Being an expert teacher is a status concern that includes a continuous possession of expertise. Such expertise is important to remain in the established profession and organization (Wood, 1980; Duane & associates, 2002) . Tobe adjudged as experts, teachers must possess three basic qualities in balanced proportions; subject matter expertise, the ability to relate well to students and mastery of instructional strategies (Kaplan & Owings, 2003; Beijaard, Verloop, & Vermunt, 2000) . As higher education faces enormous challenges, there is a need for expert teachers to continuously improve their skills and competencies based on new knowledge (Gessner, 1987; Berquist, 1995) . Initiatives for personal and professional growth primarily considers further honing of the teachers’ pedagogical practices (Olson & Craig; 2001), and of maintaining the fund of knowledge specific to the Praxedes SM de la Rosa, College of Education, University of Santo Tomas; UST Center for Educational Research and Development, Manila, Philippines. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Praxedes SM dela Rosa, Room 201 Thomas Aquinas Research Complex, University of Santo Tomas, España, Manila 1008 [Philippines. e-mail: psdelarosa@mnl.ust.ph](Philippines. e-mail: psdelarosa@mnl.ust.ph). discipline through attending courses, intensive reading and the like (Yinger & Nolen, 2003; Becher, 1996) . A teacher’s interaction with people at work results in his/her conception about himself and of others. This selfconception continuously undergoes change throughout life (Feldman, 1996; Brown, 2003; Vander Zanden, 1993) . The teacher’s self-view is an objectification of the self in the form of self- perceptions which are private and cannot be directly known to others unless revealed through language (Brown, Brooks, & associates, 2002; Erez & Earle, 1993) . Carl Rogers (Duke, 1990), says that self-concept, similar to self-view, is an image of the self or the way one thinks about oneself or of one’s role. Brown (2003) views the development of self-concept as a life-long process that begins with the individual’s first awareness of himself as a person. Since the self has the capacity for self-evaluation, it generates needs for self-enhancement, needs that are partly shaped by the culture and personal characteristics of the individual (Erez & Earle, 1993) . Like other professionals, teachers are faced with unpredictable work situations that can affect their morale, performance and psychological state (Becker & Steele, 1995) . They deal with a work environment where action Self-Enhancing Strategies takes place that either stimulates them to achieve or acts as a disincentive (Willis & Dubin, 1990; Porter, Bigley, & Steers, 2003) . While a significant number of studies were directed toward expert teachers and what factors allow them to develop expertise, specific patterns in the strategies the expert te

FAQs

What does the study identify as key building blocks of college teachers’ expertise?

It highlights three contributory components: self-enhancement strategies, self-view, and the teacher’s conception of the schoolwork environment.

How does the paper describe the importance of being an expert teacher?

Expert teaching is treated as a status concern requiring continuous possession and maintenance of expertise, balancing subject matter mastery, student rapport, and instructional strategy skills.

Why might the working environment affect teachers’ performance and morale?

The paper links workplace interactions to changes in self-conception and explains that work environment dynamics can either stimulate teachers to achieve or act as a disincentive.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Grenda