Campus Location
Dallas Campus (Online)
Date of Award
3-2026
ORCID
https://orcid.org/0009-0005-8600-8322
Document Type
Dissertation
Department
Organizational Leadership
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Committee Chair or Primary Advisor
Dr. Melinda Carver
Second Committee Member or Secondary Advisor
Dr. Jennifer Butcher
Third Committee Member or Committee Reader
Dr. Scott Hamm
Abstract
Ongoing shortages of certified world language teachers and declining enrollment in secondary language programs have intensified concerns about teacher burnout, professional isolation, and instructional quality. Research has indicated that collaboration, targeted professional development, and supportive leadership influence teachers’ instructional self-efficacy, job satisfaction, and instructional effectiveness. However, limited research has examined how secondary Spanish teachers in Texas experience these issues. This qualitative collective case study explored how Texas secondary school Spanish teachers perceive the impact of their professional experiences on instructional self-efficacy, job satisfaction, and instructional effectiveness. Grounded in Bandura’s social cognitive theory and Vygotsky’s social constructivism, the study examined how classroom experiences, collaboration, mentorship, and organizational support shape teachers’ professional beliefs. Participants included 12 Texas secondary Spanish teachers and one world language coordinator who engaged in semistructured interviews or an online asynchronous focus group. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings revealed that instructional self-efficacy developed through experiential learning and collaboration, job satisfaction was influenced by leadership support and professional autonomy, and instructional effectiveness depended on reflective practice and coherent organizational support. The study highlights the need for targeted professional development and structured collaborative communities.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Palafox, Tana Verlane, "Texas Secondary Spanish Teachers’ Perceptions of Factors Influencing Instructional Self- Efficacy, Satisfaction, and Effectiveness" (2026). Digital Commons @ ACU, Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 995.
https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/etd/995
Included in
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons, Educational Leadership Commons, Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching Commons, Language and Literacy Education Commons, Secondary Education and Teaching Commons