Our Approach
inspirED Foundation Fellows (iFF) is a stipend-based program designed to encourage grassroots innovation at the school level through forward thinking and enthusiastic teachers.
The theoretical framework for this program is collective efficacy and teacher research.
Collective Teacher Efficacy
Studies show that collective teacher efficacy has a significant impact on student performance (Hatti, 2008). Based on over 1,500 meta-analyses on factors influencing student achievement, collective teacher efficacy is greater than three times more powerful and predictive of student achievement than socio-economic status. It is more than double the effect size of prior achievement and more than triple the effect of the home environment and parental involvement.
In short, teachers matter, and what they believe matters. Because collective efficacy influences how educators feel, think, motivate themselves, and behave, it directly impacts the school’s climate (Bandura, 1993).
Collective efficacy is described as a group’s shared beliefs in its conjoint capabilities to attain its goals and accomplish desired tasks (Bandura, 1986). Albert Bandura, a psychologist at Stanford University identified interesting dynamics and patterns among people working in groups. He found that the group’s confidence in its collective abilities seemed to positively impact outcomes and success on intended goals. He found that teams who share beliefs and have a unified effort are likely to overcome challenges, be more effective and produce intended results. This dynamic has been reinforced by subsequent research across various scenarios. For example, in communities where residents shared common beliefs and unified their efforts to overcome crime, there was significantly less violence (Sampson, Raudenbush, & Earls, 1997). In organizations and companies, when team members possess positive beliefs about the capabilities of the team, there was greater creativity and productivity (Kim & Shin, 2015). Finally, in schools where educators believe in their combined ability to influence student outcomes, there are significantly high levels of academic achievement (Bandura, 1993).
It is with this thinking and foundational philosophy on collective teacher efficacy that inspirED intends to cultivate 25 promising fellows. It is our goal to engage 25 new fellows every two years, creating a scalable model to positively impact the cultural beliefs of teacher leaders.
With collective efficacy as an operationalized strategy, inspirED aims to partner with districts and organizations to provide strategies to retain a more high-quality, highly connected, and highly engaged teacher workforce.
To build collective efficacy, instructional improvement efforts must result in improved student outcomes for the desired goal. When outcomes are validated and evidence of impact is shared; behaviors, feelings, thoughts, and motivations reinforce collective efficacy. To understand the collective impact, it is essential that educators link their collective action to student outcomes or goals. They must be provided opportunities to examine the specific evidence of student learning. This would include student voice, work samples, tests, and other indicators of daily progress.