Developing Collective Classroom Efficacy: The Teacher’s Role as Community Organizer

Abstract

Collective efficacy reveals how well group members relate to one another while working toward common goals. It also reveals group resilience and the willingness of group members to continue working through difficult situations. The purpose of this study is to explore collective efficacy at the classroom level, using Vygotsky’s view of individual and collective development to examine how it could be developed and facilitated by fifth-grade classroom participants. By examining collective efficacy in this way, the authors offer a sense of what teachers can do to promote collective classroom efficacy through their instructional practice. Results indicate that the sense of collective classroom efficacy developed by the fifth graders was initiated and nurtured by the teacher in the role of classroom community organizer.

Formative Assessment: Assessment Is for Self-regulated Learning

“…(p. 400) Sampson (2004) refers to the potential of discourse to "reshape" reductionist policies. Accordingly, in more recent years various empirical studies have revealed the profound impact of carefully structured opportunities for participation and discourse in communities, finding that it is crucial to activate holistic social relationships and achieve community consensus to realize and sustain achievement (Bandura 1993;Sampson et al 1997;Sampson 2004;Black and Wiliam 2006;Putney and Broughton 2011). Both analytical reductionists and social holisticists exhibit considerable interest in formative assessment, the goals of which explicitly seek to support individual learning outcomes by encouraging SRL strategies among students.…”

Empirical Evidence on the Relationship between Democratic Classroom and Social Skills Development of Students

“…This leads to promotion of culture of silence in the class where students come and memorize the text. They do not find opportunities for vast and meaningful interactions (Putney & Broughton, 2011). Unfortunately, teachers do not create classroom environment where students are able to participate as active learners.…”

Managing diversity: academic’s perspective on culture and teaching

“…Indeed the work of Ladson-Billings (1995a, 1995b) is based on her work studying eight successful teachers, whilst Villegas and Lucas (2002) derive their work from their reading of a large body of empirical and conceptual literature. The work of Putney and Broughton (2011) stems from one teacher's fifth-grade classroom over four years, and the work of Gay (2000) outlines her research findings, theoretical claims and practical experiences in relation to K-12 students.…”

“…The proposition of these diverse approaches and current academic perceptions highlight the uncertainty and complexity surrounding differing ethnic groups and experiences, placing the spotlight on the inadequacy of a traditional Western curriculum within a multicultural classroom (Freire 2000;Putney and Broughton 2011;Taylor and Whittaker 2003). This research finds that this confusion has wide ranging impacts and is a particular challenge for the three key stakeholders as part of the teaching and learning process, namely academics, students and the institution.…”