Abstract
Teacher self-efficacy (TSE), defined as "an individual teacher's beliefs in their own abilities to plan, organise, and carry out activities required to attain given education goals" (Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2007, p. 612), has been shown to predict or mediate many aspects of a teacher’s professional life. In the context of curriculum change and innovation, research has established that TSE influences not just teachers’ perception of change initiatives, but also their attitude, receptivity, and adoption of these initiatives (Caprara et al., 2013; Ghaith & Yaghi, 1997; Guskey, 1981; Nie et al., 2013; Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2010; Tschannen-Moran et al., 1998; Tschannen-Moran & Johnson, 2011). Although the influence of TSE during curriculum reform has been explored in many contexts, including Singapore, Australia, and Turkey, it has rarely been explored in the Malaysian educational context, which since 2013, has undergone a systems-level shift following the introduction of the Malaysia Education Blueprint (MEB). This study assesses the level of TSE among English Language teachers in Malaysian public secondary schools in the enactment of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) pedagogy, as envisaged by the MEB. It also seeks to explore how these teachers perceive their success in enacting this pedagogy.
A mixed method approach was employed to account for the contextualised nature of TSE and to navigate the unique challenges of doctoral research posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Data was collected from 186 teachers at the tail end of Wave Two and the start of Wave Three of the MEB using the Teacher Self-Efficacy and the Implementation of Higher Order Thinking Skills (TSE_HOTS) Questionnaire. This instrument included items from the Norwegian Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale (NTSES) on instruction, adapting instruction to individual needs, motivating students, and coping with change, items from the Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) related to efficacy in instructional strategies and efficacy in student engagement, and four items constructed specifically for this study.
Results indicated that Malaysian English Language teachers reported moderate to high levels of self-efficacy in enacting the HOTS pedagogy recommended by the Malaysian Ministry of Education. Their levels of self-efficacy were higher for instruction and motivating students, compared to adapting instruction to individual needs and coping with change. This difference was, however, negligible. Furthermore, demographic variables such as geographical location and region, and level of teaching did not predict Malaysian English Language teachers’ level of self-efficacy. However, teaching experience did, with notable differences found among teachers with 11 to 15 years of experience.
Despite reporting moderate to high levels of TSE in enacting HOTS, Malaysian English Language teachers did not always perceive themselves as successful in enacting the recommended HOTS pedagogy. Qualitative data revealed that while they adhered to Ministry-recommended instructional approaches, teaching strategies, and assessment practices, they reported sometimes defaulting to teacher-centred methods and teaching to the test. Contextual factors such as students’ language proficiency, time constraints, and the burden of administrative tasks were identified as barriers to effective HOTS implementation.
This study highlights that while TSE is strongly correlated with the implementation of the HOTS pedagogy in Malaysia, high levels of self-efficacy do not always translate into successful pedagogical enactment, thus interpreting how it influences the enactment of HOTS pedagogy must be done with caution. Nevertheless, this research provides important insights for policymakers and educational leaders aiming to enhance the application of HOTS pedagogy in Malaysian classrooms.