Exploring the relationship between autonomy, self-efficacy, and pedagogical discontentment of STEM graduate teaching assistants

Many universities in the United States rely heavily on graduate teaching assistants (GTAs), especially for instruction in introductory courses and laboratory sections in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses. Yet, little is known about how to support these unique instructors' teaching professional development (TPD). Prior research in K-12 contexts has proposed that when instructors with high self-efficacy experience pedagogical discontentment, this may motivate them to change their instructional practices or engagement in TPD programs. In contrast, instructors with low self-efficacy may engage in avoidance behaviors related to instructional change even when experiencing pedagogical discontentment. This research explored the role autonomy (control over what and how an instructor teaches) has on the interactions of self-efficacy, pedagogical discontentment, instructional change, and engagement in TPD. We hypothesized that GTAs with pedagogical discontentment and high self-efficacy might be motivated to engage in TPD programs and consider alternative instructional methods. We administered a cross-sectional survey to a sample of GTAs in biology, geology, chemistry, and mathematics (<i>n</i> = 58). We used the survey results to identify interview participants with high (<i>n</i> = 1), moderate (<i>n</i> = 2), and low (<i>n</i> = 3) perceptions of instructional autonomy. We found evidence of a quantitative correlation between pedagogical discontentment and self-efficacy. The qualitative data revealed that GTAs' perceptions of autonomy could influence their pedagogical discontentment. These findings provide evidence of the importance of supporting STEM GTAs' perceptions of autonomy, as it could influence their motivation to change their teaching practices and engage in teaching professional development opportunities.