The educational landscape has increasingly emphasized inclusive and culturally responsive teaching (CRT) practices. The diversity of student populations requires teachers to adopt methods that reflect students’ cultural backgrounds and lived experiences. In this context, self-efficacy is key: teachers’ belief in their ability to influence student outcomes. Outcome expectancy, teachers’ expectations about their teaching, predicts educational success (Bandura, 1997). The link between these two factors may not be direct. Teachers’ readiness to engage in CRT may mediate the relationship between CRT and teacher efficacy. Self-efficacy can influence readiness, which in turn affects outcome expectancy.

Self-efficacy, the belief in one’s ability to perform a specific task, is essential in shaping teaching practices. Teachers’ culturally responsive teaching self-efficacy (CRTSE) influences their confidence in classroom management and their ability to apply diverse teaching strategies. Culturally responsive teaching outcome expectancy (CRTOE) is closely linked to teachers' beliefs about the outcomes of their efforts. Mediation means CRTSE may first shape a teacher’s readiness (CRTR) to apply CRT. This increased readiness then leads to stronger beliefs in positive student outcomes. Thus, the relationship between CRTSE and CRTOE may be transmitted through CRTR. CRTR reflects a teacher's preparedness to implement CRT practices effectively in diverse classrooms (Gay, 2010).

In the Philippines, the Department of Education (DepEd) Order No. 32, series of 2017, established a Gender-Responsive Basic Education Policy. The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) also stresses gender and cultural awareness in teacher training (CMO #01, s. of 2015). These policies prepare teachers for diverse classrooms.

This study aimed to determine the following: (a) preservice teachers’ CRTSE beliefs, (b) their CRTOE beliefs, (c) their CRTR levels, (d) if significant links exist among CRTR, CRTSE, and CRTOE, and (e) how CRTR mediates the CRTSE-CRTOE relationship.

This research views the self-efficacy theory (Bandura, 1997) and CRT pedagogy (Gay, 2000). Bandura’s self-efficacy, rooted in social learning theory, is crucial for understanding teacher beliefs (Malo-Juvera et al., 2018). Teacher self-efficacy is the confidence teachers have in their ability to promote student achievement, to overcome teaching challenges, and to build resilience (Gibson & Dembo, 1984).

Effective teaching requires knowledge, skills, and belief in one’s ability to apply them. Teacher self-efficacy predicts how preservice teachers implement culturally responsive practices after coursework (Bandura, 1997). Research shows that higher teacher self-efficacy leads to better decisions for engaging challenging students (Malo-Juvera et al., 2018).

Fostering self-efficacy in specific domains, such as CRT, enables preservice teachers (PSTs) to enhance their competencies (Cruz et al., 2020). They need to understand what builds self-efficacy. Bandura (1997) identified four main sources of self-efficacy: physiological and emotional states, vicarious experiences, mastery experiences, and verbal or social persuasion. Actual teaching experiences in small- and whole-group settings matter (Clark, 2020). These allow preservice teachers to evaluate their effectiveness. Observing student progress further boosts teachers' confidence in their teaching success.

Likewise, Bandura (1997) highlights the collaborative nature of verbal and social persuasion. PSTs build community and self-efficacy through feedback from mentors, cooperating teachers, supervisors, and peers during field experiences (Clark, 2020). Understanding these sources will guide the analysis of interviews. This will help identify what participants see as integral to their sense of community and to their growth in self-efficacy.

Despite a strong theory, a gap persists in research on CRT readiness as a mediating variable. This gap is evident in the Philippine context. Existing literature mainly examines Western or urbanized Asian settings. Questions remain about how CRT readiness influences teaching effectiveness in other environments. This study addressed that gap by exploring the mediating role of CRT readiness among preservice teachers in Philippine sectarian schools. In these settings, cultural values are integral to the educational mission.

This study employed path analysis to investigate the mediating role of CRTR in the relationship between self-efficacy and outcome expectancy among preservice teachers. Path analysis is appropriate in this context because it examines both direct and indirect relationships among variables, thereby clarifying the mediating effect of CRTR between CRTSE and CTROE (Baron & Kenny, 1986). Path analysis is a statistical technique used to examine both direct and indirect relationships among observed variables. A direct relationship exists when CRTSE directly influences CTROE, whereas an indirect relationship occurs when the effect is transmitted through a third variable, such as CRTR. The present study evaluates whether CRTR mediates the association between CRTSE and CTROE. Path analysis examines multiple direct and indirect relationships at once, offering deeper insights than standard regression. While regression may show no direct correlation, path analysis shows that a predictor can have an indirect effect on an outcome. This method uses multiple regression models within a theoretical framework to assess all hypothesized links between predictors and outcomes, making it especially suitable for complex communication phenomena. Respondents were preservice teachers enrolled in sectarian higher education institutions. Inclusion criteria were third- or fourth-year PSTs pursuing a Bachelor of Secondary Education major in English and currently in a teaching internship. Participation was voluntary and required informed consent. Only completed surveys were analyzed to ensure data reliability and validity. The final sample of 100 respondents provided a basis for meaningful and generalizable findings. The instruments employed comprised (a) CRTR, adapted from Karatas and Oral (2017); (b) CRTSE; and (c) CRTOE, the latter two created by Siwatu (2006). CRTSE and CRTOE measure preservice teachers’ self-efficacy and beliefs regarding the outcomes of culturally responsive pedagogy. These instruments are grounded in prior research that identifies key competencies in culturally responsive teaching, such as cultural awareness, adaptive instruction, minimizing cultural mismatches, fostering identity, and cautious interpretation of test results (Siwatu, 2005). The self-efficacy and outcome expectancy measures encompass curriculum and instruction, classroom management, student assessment, and cultural enrichment (Siwatu, 2005, 2007). Descriptive statistics, including mean and standard deviation, were calculated for self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, and readiness for culturally responsive teaching. Pearson correlation coefficients were computed to analyze the relationships among these variables. Path analysis was conducted to determine whether readiness for culturally responsive teaching mediated the relationship between self-efficacy and outcome expectancy. The significance of the mediation effect was evaluated using the Sobel test.

PSTs demonstrated high levels of self-efficacy in applying culturally responsive practices. The findings indicate that respondents expressed confidence in their ability to employ a range of teaching strategies and integrate students’ cultural backgrounds into the educational process. Their self-efficacy appears to be influenced by their perceived competence in contextualizing lessons based on student diversity. However, results also suggest that competencies in developing personal relationships with students require further enhancement. PSTs strongly believed that their actions as educators would result in favorable outcomes. They believed that culturally responsive strategies, such as building trust and valuing students’ cultural heritage, facilitate improvements in student learning. Furthermore, they believe that instructional practices connecting to prior knowledge are effective. Their outcome expectancy is shaped by the belief that affirming cultural identity and fostering trust promote greater student engagement and academic achievement. A statistically significant relationship was found between PSTs’ CRTSE and CRTOE. This association suggests that as self-efficacy in CRT increases, so does the belief in the positive outcomes associated with these practices. This finding underscores the connection between confidence and expectancy, illustrating that self-efficacy is a key driver of teachers’ beliefs in the effectiveness of culturally responsive pedagogy. CRTR did not have a significant mediating effect on the relationship between CRTSE and CRTOE. This indicates that, despite preservice teachers’ perceived readiness to implement CRT, this readiness does not account for the linkage between self-efficacy and outcome expectancy. Consequently, self-efficacy in culturally responsive practices remains the principal factor influencing teachers’ outcome beliefs, independently of their readiness. Given that the present study found no significant mediating effect of CRTR on the relationship between self-efficacy and outcome expectancy, it is recommended that teacher education institutions review and redesign their readiness programs. These initiatives should be aligned with preservice teachers’ levels of confidence and expectations.

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