Insights into Teachers’ Self-efficacy in Informatics Education

The concept of self-efficacy has been widely studied in psychology, and its relevance in the field of education continues to grow, also considering its relationship with learning and performance. This paper investigates the development of self-efficacy of teachers participating in an educational project whose goal is to spread the scientific principles of informatics and digital citizenship. Responses were provided by 1,554 teachers coming from all over the country and belonging to primary and secondary schools. The outcomes show that generally speaking, participation in the project activities positively affects all areas of teachers’ self-efficacy. More specifically, an in-depth analysis highlights a positive correlation between the increase in self-efficacy and overall involvement in project activities. This result is particularly evident for those with a humanistic background. Moreover, the increase in motivation represents a strong support for teachers, especially when they have to manage conditions characterized by organizational deficiencies and difficulties. Finally, interesting suggestions were provided by the participants to enhance their effectiveness in teaching informatics.