Social cognitive theory posits that an individual's behaviour is primarily learned through his or her observation of others as well as through interaction with his or her environment. Thus it is instructive to examine reciprocal relationships between school context (environment) and teacher efficacy beliefs (personal factors) [3]. Teachers’ efficacy describes how much a teacher believes he or she can effectively complete the tasks that teaching requires, so that children acquire the skills required for learning. Self-efficacy beliefs would be teachers' evaluation of their abilities to bring about positive student change [2]. Along with the construct of teachers’ efficacy, collective efficacy beliefs developed in order to explore a group’s perceptions of their capabilities to complete the tasks that teaching requires, so that children acquire the skills required for learning.

     Bandura [1] argued that one powerful construct that varies greatly among schools that is systematically associated with student achievement is the collective efficacy of teachers within a school.  Goddard, Hoy, and Woolfolk-Hoy [3] did find a significant relationship between student achievement and collective efficacy beliefs. Also, Goddard and Goddard [4] assumed that when teachers as a group in a school believe that the staff as a whole can be successful, they will be more likely to persist in their own personal efforts to achieve such success. Collective teacher efficacy has the potential to contribute to our understanding of how schools differ in the attainment of their most important objective the education of students [3].

     Children with autism require specialist education and skilled practitioners. Educating students with autism presents teachers with significant instructional challenges [10].  Educational reform over the last two decades has meant that teachers play an increasingly prominent role in many aspects of the care and management as well as the education of their pupils [5]. It is well established that teachers’ expectations about students with learning disabilities will affect their instructional goals and methods [9].

2.Objectives

     This study seeks to shed light on teachers’ self efficacy and collective efficacy beliefs of their capabilities in teaching children with autism in schools across the UK. This study will look into the concept of self efficacy in regards to instructional practices, professionalism, teacher support, classroom management and related duties. The study will seek to establish relationships between self efficacy and collective efficacy beliefs.

     Demographic and biographic information acquired will explore relationships between the two constructs and teachers/schools information regarding their teaching experience, training, teaching methods and students’ attainment. Teachers from 137 schools for children with autism across UK will be asked to complete an online survey consisting of three questionnaires on demographics, self efficacy and collective efficacy beliefs.

     The following issues will be investigated in detail: Teachers’ Self – Efficacy (SE) beliefs in relation to: Instruction, Professionalism, Teacher Support, Classroom Management, Related Duties. Teachers’ Collective – Efficacy (CE) beliefs in relation to: Instruction, Student discipline. Teacher’s Demographic/biographic Information, Years of experience in autism context, qualifications/training and teaching methods. Analysis will seek for correlations between SE and CE, SE and demographic factors, CE and Demographic factors.

[1] A. Bandura, Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. W.H. Freeman, New York, 1997. [2] S. Gibson, M. Dembo, “Teacher efficacy: A construct validation”, Journal of Educational Psychology, 1984, 76(4), 569-582. [3] R. D. Goddard, W. K. Hoy, A. Woolfolk Hoy, “Collective efficacy beliefs: theoretical developments, empirical evidence, and future directions.”, Educational Researcher, 2004, 33, pp. 3-13. [4] R. D. Goddard, Y. L. Goddard, “A multi level analysis of the relationship between teacher and collective efficacy in urban schools.”, Teacher and Teacher Education, 2001, 17, pp. 807-818. [5] P. Howlin, “Psychological and Educational Treatments for Autism”, Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 1998, 39(3), pp. 307–22. [6] H. K. Jennett, S. L. Harris, and G. B. Mesibov, “Commitment to philosophy, teacher efficacy, and burnout among teachers ofchildren with autism.” Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2003, 33, pp. 583–593. [7] R.M. Klassen, V. Tze, K. Gordon and, S. Betts, “Teacher efficacy research 1998-2009: Signs of progress or unfulfilled promise?” Educational Psychology Review, 2011, 23, pp. 21–43. [8] C. Opie, Doing Educational Research, Paul Chapman Publishing, London, 2004 [9] S. Padeliadu, G. Chatzopoulos, E. Kavvada, “Teachers’Stereotypes Regarding the Learning Abilities of Students with Mental Retardation”,paper presented at the International Conference on Developmental/Intellectual Disabilities ‘Bridging the Continents’, Larnaca, Cyprus, 27–9 March, 1998. [10] B. Scheuermann, J. Webber, E. A. Boutot, and M. Goodwin, “Problems with personnel preparation in autism spectrum disorders”, Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 2003, 18, pp. 197–206. [11] M. Tschannen-Moran, M. Barr, “Fostering student achievement: The relationship between collective teacher efficacy and student achievement.”, Leadership and Policy in Schools, 2004. 3, pp. 187 - 207