Exchanging social support on online teacher groups: Relation to teacher self-efficacy

• Published in: Telematics and informatics Vol. 35; no. 5; pp. 1542 - 1552
• Main Authors: Chung, Tsai-Yuan, Chen, Yi-Ling
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2018; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: CAI; Computer assisted instruction; Distance learning; Effectiveness; Exchanging; Online community of practice; Online social support; Professional development; Social media; Social networks; Social support; Teacher professional development; Teacher self-efficacy; Teachers; Online social support; Online community of practice; Teacher self-efficacy; Teacher professional development; Social media
• ISSN: 0736-5853; 1879-324X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tele.2018.03.022

•We examine online social support exchange and its relation to teacher self-efficacy.•Teacher self-efficacy varies with years of teaching and length of group membership.•Teacher self-efficacy varies with the level of exchanging online social support.•Online social support exchange independently predicts teacher self-efficacy. The present study explored the relation between exchanging social support on online teacher groups and teacher self-efficacy. An online survey was conducted inside a massive Facebook teacher group, and 584 elementary school teachers provided information regarding Facebook use, self-efficacy for creative teaching, and the extent to which they provided and received support on the online teacher group. Results showed that teacher self-efficacy varied as a function of years of teaching experience, length of group membership, and the extent to which teachers provided and received social support on the online teacher group. Furthermore, the providing of online support predicted teacher self-efficacy after taking into account the effects of teaching experience and group membership. The findings are discussed in terms of the features and importance of social support exchange on online teacher support groups.